What If
by RenoLuvver
Summary: Title may change! This is an AU story where Reno and Elena meet as teenagers instead of adults. What if it made there lives different? RenoxElena.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: New story! WOOT! Sorry it took so long in coming! I've been really busy lately and haven't been able to write every night like I usually do! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it, especially since it's taken forever! I think a brief introduction is necessary. This is more of an AU story, so there are a few things here and there that are different. First of all, I'm having Reno and Elena meet before the Turks, so they're teenagers here. That's all you really need to know for now. There will be bits that differ from the actual story plot as we go on. I just wanted to let you guys know so no one freaks out and thinks I've got the story drastically wrong. =P Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it and please let me know what you think, since this is different than what I normally do! _

Elena shivered and tucked her arms tighter around her body. Without the sun to warm the air, it tended to be rather frigid under the Plate throughout all seasons of the year except for Summer. In Summer, it was more of a moist, sticky kind of oppressive heat that made you feel nasty, like you needed a shower. The sixteen year old girl's petite form was too skinny to keep her very warm, and her thin jacket wasn't helping much. She shifted her backpack higher on her shoulders and sped up, not because she wanted to get home quicker, but because the increased speed would help her warm up.

No, Elena had no reason to want to be home, ever. _Who on earth would ever want to come home to this?_ She looked up at the decrepit brick building that was her home and wrinkled her nose at it. Elena's father ran a whore house, and this is where she was forced to live. _Not the greatest environment for a teenage girl._ She took a deep breath and went around to the back door, preparing to sneak in like she always did. She'd rather not run in to any of the establishment's patrons, anytime, anywhere.

_So far, so good._ It was like this everyday when she came home from school. When she left, in the morning, it wasn't so bad. She peeked around a doorway, and finding the coast clear, slipped through the kitchen to the hall. There was no reason for any of their less-than-respectable patrons to be in the back rooms, but they weren't the only ones she was trying to avoid. Elena preferred not to run into her father either. She held her breath as she dashed on tip toe down the hall to her room, and she actually had her hand on the knob before a rough hand on her shoulder made her cringe and freeze in her tracks.

"There you are, girl," her father scowled down at her, "Where've you been?"

"School, like always," Elena replied tersely, shrugging his hand off her shoulder and not making eye contact. The man was tall, and big, intimidating most even when they didn't have a reason to fear him. And Elena did.

"Forgot your manners, eh?" the man shoved her into the door and she winced as her face bumped into the wood.

"I've been at school, _sir_," she grumbled, staring down at her feet and wishing he would just leave her alone.

"That's better," the man smiled smugly, revealing a few missing teeth. He had alcohol on his breath, not surprisingly. He almost constantly had some amount of alcohol flowing through his veins. Elena only hoped it would kill him sooner rather than later. As soon as he started moving away, Elena rushed swiftly into her room, locking the door behind her. It was habit at this point. It wasn't much of a deterrent, but she preferred as much distance as she could get between her and the world out there.

"Drop dead," Elena muttered, wishing it upon her father. Her mother had died when she was six, eventually beaten to death by her husband, Elena's father. And ever since then his abuse had turned on Elena. The verbal abuse didn't even get to her anymore, and she was usually able to avoid any real beatings. She couldn't avoid getting hit frequently, but she took it without complaining, fearing that if she angered him he would force her to join his ranks of whores. She shuddered. Prostitution was _definitely_ not one of her aspirations.

Sometimes Elena daydreamed about someone noticing the bruises and coming to rescue her from her horrible life, but it was unlikely below the Plate. Sad as it was, most of her friends, were prostitutes living in the house. What could they do? No one at school could help her either. The public schools below the Plate were a joke. It almost wasn't worth it, except for the fact that it got her out of the house several hours a day. Any of the other kids there who noticed were incapable of helping her, and the adults had enough problems of their own to take notice of one bruised girl.

She sighed, and looked in the mirror, pushing her straight blonde hair behind her ears. She was having a particularly bad day, and it showed in her teary brown eyes. _Oh well._ Elena took a deep breath, closing her eyes and standing still for a moment. Turning her radio on to her favorite station, she picked up a bottle of purple nail polish from her dresser and sat on the floor, proceeding to paint her nails.

The chemical smell from the polish was giving her a head ache, so she hopped up to push the sheer purple curtains aside and open her window. Her first floor bedroom had a lovely view of a dirty alley, thankfully clothed in shades of darkness all the time so she didn't have to see it too clearly. She looked down at her toes, wiggling them slightly and appreciating the splash of color it provided.

"Alright, time to work," she cracked her knuckles and settled down at her desk to start on her homework. She'd been at work a little over an hour when her father's shouting from the hallway distracted her.

"Elena!" he shouted harshly, "Get out here and cook some dinner!" She sighed, rubbing her temples and smacking her pencil down. It wouldn't do to keep him waiting, he'd only be angry, so she got up quickly and ran off to make the man some food.

"This is disgusting!" the man grumbled, glaring at Elena after taking one bite of the pasta she'd made.

"Well, I'm sorry!" Elena shouted, standing up from the table abruptly. She'd had enough today. "It's not my fault you don't keep the place properly stocked with groceries! There's only so much I can do with the crap in here!"

"Don't talk to me like that!" the man roared, his temper flaring as he hurled the plate at the girl, hitting her squarely on the side of her face. Elena let out a yelp and stumbled back a few paces, her hands pressed over her cheek while the dish clattered to the floor, shattering. "It's your job to do the chores! Here," he threw a measly wad of gil down on the floor near her, "Here's some money, YOU go get the groceries! Insolent bitch!" He back-handed her across the face, making her cower back in the corner, steeling up for more and regretting letting her temper get the best of her. As her father raised his hand again, a scantily clad woman rushed into the room, her insanely high heels clacking on the floor.

"Oh, Richard," her voice was seductive and coaxing, but there was a slightly worried look on her face that she wiped away just as soon as the man turned to her. She beckoned to him. "Come on, quit sitting around back here and come up front with us and have a drink." Her long blonde hair fell around her bare shoulders as she leaned, almost posing, in the doorway. Her sparkly black mini-dress accentuated her ample curves. Richard grumbled something inaudible, but seemed to have lost his interest in beating Elena for the moment. As the man put an arm uncomfortably firmly around her waist, the woman cast Elena a quick smile.

"Thank you, Lexie," Elena mouthed, and the woman just nodded. That was Lexie, a prostitute that lived here that she had known for a few years now. The unfortunate young woman was one of several who treated Elena like a little sister, trying to protect her when they could from the horrors of her father and the usually drunken and horny patrons of the whore house.

Her cheeks burning from the blows, she sunk to the ground, pocketing the gil and cleaning up the mess as quickly as she could. She would have to go to the grocery store on her way home tomorrow. She could feel hot tears beginning to spill from her eyes as she rushed back to her room. The room was dark, so she turned on the lamp by her bed, which spread a dim warm orange light over a part of the room. She changed into her pajamas, consisting of sweatpants and a tank top, and curled up on her bed to cry.

The chain link fence clinked as he climbed over it effortlessly, vaulting over the top and landing easily on the other side. He didn't stand still for a second, but kept running down the alley. Some people had taken to fencing off their alleys, in the hopes of keeping out unwanted individuals, but it wasn't much of an obstacle for him. The two guys chasing him wouldn't find it much of an obstacle either, in fact he could already hear them climbing over it. It would buy him a little time though, since almost no one was as fast or agile as he was. Luckily he knew the city like the back of his hand, and he hadn't made the mistake of running into a dead end alley. This one connected to many others to create the maze-like feeling that much of the space below the Plate held. He'd try to loose them in here.

Skidding around a corner, he swore under his breath. He'd gotten so good at pick-pocketing that most people didn't even notice when he stole a wallet, but it was just his luck that the one time someone noticed, it was the badass with the anger issues who happened to have his equally badass and anger-issue-ridden friend with him too. Then again, what other kind of person roamed the streets of under-the-Plate Midgar this late at night. Judging by the glowing screen on the watch he'd taken the liberty of 'borrowing' from someone, it was about ten o'clock. Most of the innocent types fled indoors long before now, so he guessed it was what he got for lifting a wallet at this time of night.

He'd been running for quite some time now, and he had some space between them, but he knew he couldn't keep it up much longer. He was tired, and he didn't think that was the best way to go into a fight with two guys, both at least twice his size. Sparing a glance over his shoulder, he saw the two men just rounding the last corner he'd turned. If they caught up to him, he was screwed. Putting on a burst of speed, he slid around another wall and looked quickly for a place to hide. _Damn it._ There was a depressing lack of good places to hide. Something caught his eye though, and hope returned. An open window, a rare sight in the slums of Midgar, with no light showing. Hopefully, it was an empty room and he could just jump in for a second until they passed by and then he could jump right back out and run the other way. There were a lot of things that could go wrong with this plan, but he didn't exactly have a bunch of options at this point so he took it, praying nothing was below the window as he grabbed the sill and easily fell into the room, rolling to a stop along the floor.

"Shit!" he muttered aloud, realizing several things at once. The window had curtains, which had hid the small amount of light given off by a lamp, luckily nothing had been below the window, but most importantly the room was _not_ unoccupied.

Elena had cried herself into an uneasy sleep, and had remained that way for several hours until a disturbance woke her up. Her reddened and puffy eyes blinked open to see a figure rolling through her open window.

"Shit!" the figure said, just as Elena jerked to a sitting position, and let out a scream. The figure was moving toward her before she'd even started making a sound, and had grabbed her, pinning her arms and covering her mouth, silencing her scream almost before it happened. She was panicking, staring up with huge, frightened eyes at the man who had grabbed her. She struggled but he was holding onto her firmly. She tried to scream, but the hand clamped over her mouth prevented any sound from coming out. He was completely still, his head turned slightly toward the window as if listening. Despite herself, Elena stopped struggling to listen too, and soon she heard running feet go past.

When all had been quiet for a moment, except for her pounding heart of course, the man turned to her, and she saw with surprise that he was probably just a little older than her. The dim light from the lamp shone upon sparkling aquamarine eyes set in a pale face that was surrounded by a shaggy mess of blood-red hair.

"I'll let you go if you promise not to scream," he said, the words themselves sounding threatening, but his whispering voice sounded far from scary, almost like there was some secret joke going on that she didn't know about. Elena nodded slowly, too scared to disagree. She wouldn't get anywhere screaming anyway. Anyone that heard her wouldn't care. He let go of her suddenly and backed up a few paces, as she practically flew in the other direction, scrambling across her bed so quickly she fell off the other edge and landed with a thump on the floor.

The tall boy leaned across her bed, looking down at her on the floor with amusement clearly showing in his face. She saw now that his hair was longer in the back, pulled into a ponytail that slipped over his shoulder as he leaned over.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he said apologetically, a grin appearing on his face "You alright?"

"Wha…" Elena stuttered, confused.

"It's an easy question," he continued, sitting on her bed and swinging his legs around to place booted feet down next to her as she remained frozen on the floor, "Are you ok?"

"I…uh…you just jumped through my window," Elena backed up slightly, falling into the circle of light spilled by the lamp, "And now you're asking about my health?" She was thoroughly confused, and still scared to death. Did he have some kind of mental issue too? Was he unbalanced? Was he going to fly off the handle any second?

"I was actually runnin' from some jerks who wanted to kick my ass, and I didn't think anyone was in here. I was just gonna jump in an' out real quick, but then you were here and I think I scared the shit outta ya, so I had the decency to make sure you were ok before I ran off again, seein' as you just fell on the floor and all…" A slight frown appeared on his pale face and he scooted closer, peering intently at her face, "But maybe I should be askin' about your general health…you've been hit." He stood up suddenly, grabbing her arm and pushing her firmly but gently further into the light.

Elena was too surprised to fight his hold as he took her chin delicately with his finger tips and turned her face to the side so he could examine the bruise that was already forming on her cheek and jawbone from the plate that her father had thrown at her earlier. She looked at him with confusion while his eyes were busy with her cheek. She didn't have much experience with people who broke into houses, but he wasn't what she would expect of one.

The little frown still on his face, he turned her head so he could look at the other cheek, where she'd been slapped. Elena couldn't deny that he was good-looking, and she blushed despite her best efforts to prevent it. Maybe his story was true, and he had just been trying to avoid a beating, something she could relate to. He didn't look mean and hard-hearted. He just looked…tired. His eyes flicked up to hers and she was embarrassed to be caught staring.

"You've been crying too," he observed, only making her more embarrassed. She pushed his hand off her face and backed up, wrapping her arms around herself and looking away.

"Get out!" Elena had recovered from her surprise, and now was watching him very intently, ready to dash out of the way if he moved.

"I wasn't gonna hurt ya, I promise," he tried to reassure her, holdings his hands before him, as one would approach a frightened animal.

"Just…get the hell out of here! You're not supposed to be here!" Elena was utterly baffled. She had never experienced a break-in before, and so far things were not going as she would have expected. She had no idea what to do, but she knew she should try and get rid of him. He seemed more interested in making her believe his story than beating a hasty retreat though.

"Fine, fine," he backed towards the open window, pausing just in front of it to renew his efforts, "I was tryin' to avoid a fight, not start one, so let's just calm down…" Elena leaped forward to her bed, grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. He looked surprised, then amused.

"Wow, well that really hurt," he smirked sarcastically, picking the pillow up from the floor and throwing it back at her, "I'm scared now."

"Just go away!" Elena begged, wondering if she was having some strange hallucination, "You're weird!" His eyes sparkled with delight.

"That's a first actually," he grinned, "I've been called many things in my life, but weird was never on the list before. If you really want me to go then, I guess I'll go. After all, I may not survive another pillow to the head." With a final devilish grin, he disappeared out the window as smoothly and silently as a panther.

Elena stood gaping, clutching the pillow to her chest. _What the hell just happened?_ She looked around in confusion, slowly started to move again. She first went and shut the window after starting out of it suspiciously for a moment. Once again settled comfortably in bed, she dwelled on the past events, still in shock. It was hands down the strangest encounter in her entire life. She wanted to write it off as a dream, but it was too vivid. She tried to forget it, but her efforts were futile. The occurrence replayed in her head endlessly as she fell asleep. She was completely baffled.

The next morning, the events of the previous night still filled Elena's mind, and they still had her completely confused. She had no explanation. She dwelt on it constantly as she got ready for school and snuck out of the house. It was so strange, she suspected it was a hallucination. But there was no reason for her to be hallucinating! Stepping out of the alley as she left her house by the back door as usual, Elena looked up from her feet and stopped frozen in her tracks, her jaw dropping.

There, leaning casually against the brick wall was the red-headed boy from the night before. He noticed her at once, since she was only a few yards from him, and he smiled, straightening up and waving.

"Hey," he acted as if this were normal. _That's it._ Elena knew it. She was crazy and this was some demented figment of her imagination. She decided the best course of action would be to ignore it, and hope it went away. Putting this plan into action, she walked right past him without a glance or a word.

"Well, that's rude," he commented as she passed him. He quickly fell into step beside her, earning a nervous glance from the girl. "I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Reno." He stuck out a long-fingered hand, expecting a shake. He got nothing more than a quick look that told him she thought he was insane.

"This is not happening," she spoke tersely, "For whatever reason, I'm hallucinating and you're not real."

"Oh, I'm real alright," Reno assured her, seeming unbothered by the whole situation.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am," Reno argued, "If I wasn't real, would I do this?" Without warning, he leaned over and kissed her cheek suddenly. Elena let out a surprised shriek, coming to an abrupt halt and waving him away from her. She looked at him in shock and indignation while he looked back with pure amusement in his eyes.

"That doesn't prove anything!" she hissed.

"No, it doesn't," he agreed, smirking, "I just wanted to kiss ya."

"You're a jerk," Elena decreed, turning and walking as swiftly as she could, hoping he would go away soon, "Stop following me."

"Who says I'm following you?" Reno's long legs kept up with her pace easily, "I just happen to be going the same direction as you." There was silence for an awkward minute.

"I'm ignoring you," Elena clarified.

"That's fine, I'm just walkin'. I didn't ask for you to walk with me," Reno was obviously trying to hold back laughter. Elena sped up again, practically jogging now. Reno sped up to keep right beside her. She slowed down to a ridiculous pace. Reno slowed as well. She cast an angry glance at him. He didn't even notice, looking completely relaxed as he strode along, hands shoved deep in the pockets of his black cargo pants.

"So I told you my name. What's yours?" he questioned casually.

"I'm not telling you," she answered curtly.

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Just because, okay?" Elena halted suddenly, turning to glare at him, "You're obnoxious."

"I try," Reno accepted it as if it was a compliment, "Goin' to school, I see." He looked at the school building before them, Elena's destination.

"Yes," she continued her glare, hoping to scare him off at some point, "Don't you?"

"Nah, I think it's a waste of time," Reno replied, wrinkling his nose in distaste. _Good Lord, he's adorable._ Elena couldn't help the rogue thought that passed unbidden through her mind, but she quickly killed it.

"So learning things is a waste of time, but following me around isn't?" Elena smiled smugly, thinking she'd caught him.

"Yup," Reno grinned happily, "You're _way_ cuter than school." Elena was speechless. Before she could recover, a girl that sat next to her in math class saw her and called over.

"Hey, Elena!" the girl waved.

"Hey," Elena responded, remembering that she would be late if she didn't hurry on. With a final glare at Reno, she hurried towards her friend, relieved that Reno wasn't following her.

"So, it's Elena," Reno smirked, "I think I'll call you 'Laney." Elena didn't even reward him with a glance, she pretended she hadn't heard.

"Who's that?" her friend asked when Elena reached her, "He's really cute!"

"No he's not," Elena lied, pulling her friend along as she hurried out of Reno's sight, "Don't look at him, just walk." _So that rules out the figment of my imagination theory._ If her friend could see him, she wasn't going crazy. Was that good news?

Reno watched the blonde girl as she hurried along, only turning away when she was out of sight. Still grinning, he shook his head and laughed to himself. She was fun to annoy, and really cute when she was angry. He couldn't really explain what had inspired him to go back to her house and wait to see her again. It wasn't like she'd invited him. She had tried to get him out of her room as quickly as possible, and she'd been angry enough to see him again. Something about her caught his interest. Besides, it upset him to think of her father hitting her. He had no idea what on earth he could even begin to do to help, but he'd think of something. He always did.

In the meantime, Reno would keep close to her. Despite her thorny attitude toward him, Reno sensed no real hostility from her. He'd hang around until she was forced to accept him as a friend. He laughed quietly, envisioning how furious she'd be when she found him waiting outside of the building for her when school was over.

Elena noticed him almost as soon as she exited the building. No matter how casually he leant against the wall, doing nothing to draw attention to himself, the flaming mess of red hair on his head wasn't hard to spot. Narrowing her soft brown eyes until they were sufficiently threatening, Elena pulled her heavy backpack higher on her shoulders and sped up, walking right past without acknowledging him.

"Hey, 'Laney," Reno's voice was as friendly as if they'd known each other for years. He fell into step beside her, "How was school?" Elena tightened her jaw angrily at the annoying nickname he'd chosen to call her by. She didn't answer his inquiry and refused to even grant him a glance. "That bad, huh?" Reno continued, pretending to be oblivious to her attitude towards him, "Here, let me help." Before she even noticed what he was doing, Reno had taken the backpack from her and shrugged it easily over one shoulder.

"Give that back," Elena demanded, abruptly coming to a halt and crossing her arms, a disapproving frown on her face.

"Why? I'm just helpin' ya carry it," Reno grinned teasingly, walking on and turning backwards to keep looking at her. Elena was soon forced to abandon her stern stance and hurry to catch up.

"I don't need help, I can take care of myself," Elena grumbled, trying to reach for her backpack, but he easily maneuvered out of her reach.

"Doesn't look like it," Reno disagreed, suddenly reaching out and gently taking hold of her chin, tilting her face slightly upwards and to the side so he could get a good look at the yellow and purple bruise that had formed there from where the plate had hit her.

"Shut up!" Elena spat the words out fiercely, slapping his hand away. She lunged for her backpack again, but he whirled around keeping his body between her and the item in question. Grabbing her shoulder with a gentle but steady grip, Reno regarded her teary eyes seriously for a moment. He regretted what he had said. Evidently she preferred when it wasn't mentioned.

"I am helping you carry this backpack," Reno spoke firmly, hoping she would understand he just wanted to help her, "It's the least I can do." He let go of her and kept walking, knowing she would follow. Elena stood frozen for a moment, surprised by his sudden intensity. _Maybe he's crazy,_ Elena wondered as she jogged a few steps to walk next to him.

"So if you don't go to school, don't you have a job or something you're supposed to be at during the day?" Elena questioned, giving up on the backpack and sneaking a glance up at his face.

"I work nights mostly," Reno answered, the little smirk that made him look like he knew something you didn't or was about to make a joke, back on his face.

"So what do you do then?" Elena had momentarily forgotten she was supposed to be trying to get rid of him in the midst of her curiosity. She was actually rather glad she didn't have to lug the heavy backpack all the way home.

"Oh, nothing really," Reno spoke nonchalantly, changing the subject, "Do you ever go hang out your friends from school? Ya know, study together or whatever?"

"Not really. None of us really have lives that involve a lot of free time," Elena commented, remembering that she was irritated by him and making the comment pointed at his obvious abundance of time since he was wandering around after her.

Reno slowed to a stop and swung the backpack easily off his shoulder, handing it back to her. Elena took it in surprise. Had she finally succeeded in getting rid of him?

"Ha, not so cute anymore, am I?" Elena smiled smugly, a blatantly triumphant look growing on her face, "Decided you've had enough?"

"No, you're definitely still cute," Reno made no attempt to conceal the huge smile that appeared on his face, "You're also home." He gestured to her house that they were standing in front of. Elena blushed furiously, the smug and triumphant look disappearing from her face instantly, replaced with embarrassment. She hadn't even noticed. "I'm leavin' because I didn't think you'd invite me in," Reno smirked.

"No, I'm certainly not!" Elena glared at her toes and practically ran to the door, desperate to escape the redhead's laughing aquamarine eyes.

"Bye, 'Laney!" Reno called out cheerfully, waving as she took refuge inside. Grinning, Reno turned and walked off, heading towards his tiny, trashy apartment to get a few hours of sleep before work.

The very first thing Elena did when she entered her room was to check the lock on her window, making sure it was closed and locked securely. _No obnoxious redheads getting through here tonight!_ She smiled smugly, dropping her heavy backpack to the ground with a thump. Elena's stomach rumbled hungrily.

"Crap," Elena groaned, remembering that she was supposed to stop on her way home and get some groceries. In her haste to be rid of Reno, she had forgotten. Now she'd have to hurry. Peeking cautiously around the corner of the brick building, Elena looked right and left for a sign of Reno. There were no redheads in sight, so she was safe. Smiling triumphantly, she strode off, confident that the strangely friendly redhead would disturb her no more.

_Author's Note: Alright, one chapter down! I'm about off to work on the next. Please review and let me know what you think ok? I can't wait to hear from all of you! I miss my reviewers! I haven't talked to many of you in awhile. =P _


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: An update! Hurray I didn't forget! I'm so disoriented about what day it actually is right now. For some reason I've been thinking it was Saturday all day so...yeah. Guess not. =P So anyway, from the reviews it seems like everyone is enjoying this so far. I am too. It's already about as long as my last story, The End. =P I think it's going to be a good one. Forgive me if it seems like things go a bit fast in this chapter. There's a part that I meant to put in the last update, but I forgot so it's in here...but now it seems a little rushed. So please accept my deepest apologizes for any less-than-par work. ENJOY! =D_

A few hours later, the same redhead stalked along the dark and eerie streets of the Midgar slums. He looked very different from the grinning, friendly young man that had teased Elena earlier in the day. The lazy, long strides had turned into a brisk walk, almost a jog, moving him swiftly through streets he knew inside and out. The constant devious grin was gone, replaced by a stony look designed to ward off anyone looking for trouble. Reno kept his head down anyway, hands shoved in his pockets as he made his way towards his destination.

Reno was working. The many, deep pockets on his cargo pants were filled with carefully weighed and packaged drugs, ready for sale by the dealers he was taking them too. The drug trade was booming, but most of the rookie drug rings would die out quickly. With what little he knew about his employers, Reno knew they were some of the best. His job was transportation. Those in charge went about acquiring the drugs, a process Reno knew nothing about. All information was on a strictly need to know basis, protecting the gang from infiltration. Once acquired, the drugs had to be distributed somehow. There were countless dealers working for this particular ring. Reno had no idea how many, or who they were.

Every night at the same time, Reno showed up behind a warehouse where he was given the drugs he was to transport. Far from being headquarters, it was nothing more than an appointed meeting place, easily replaced if the location was compromised. Reno didn't know the names of those who gave him the packages and told him where the deliveries were to go. He wouldn't even be able to recognize their faces. He made the deliveries to several stops a night, always somewhere different. He was paid cash every night for his work.

Reno had a constant, nagging feeling of guilt for his shady job, but what was he to do? Any kind of work was hard to come by and he had to make a living somehow. He was just glad his involvement was kept at a minimum. All he did was transport. And he was good at it. Reno was fast and clever, able to escape most tricky situations before they happened. He possessed enough natural fighting talent to make his way out of anything else. He was perfect for the job, despite the guilty conscience it gave him.

Reno thought of Elena, and her abusive father. He wondered how many families had been ruined by the drugs he transported. It was a stalemate. He despised the job, but he needed it. With a sigh, Reno dragged his mind away from the darker thoughts, knowing the problem had no foreseeable resolution.

All of Elena's wildest hopes and dreams of having escaped the redhead were violently crushed the next morning however, when she stepped around the corner on her way to school and was met with the grinning face of Reno. He couldn't hide the amused sparkle in his aquamarine eyes when Elena stopped short and frowned furiously. In truth, she hadn't even been watching out for him. After her successfully Reno-less outing the previous evening, she'd thought he was done following her around. Who would expect it to happen again?

"Mornin'," his words came out almost in a drawl as he straightened up, hands shoved in pockets, "Sleep good?"

"Well no one jumped through my window, if that's what you mean," Elena answered stiffly, sticking her chin up arrogantly and walking on. She still hoped, despite all her experiences the previous day, that maybe he would give up if she made it difficult for him. She was practically running by the time she accepted the fact that Reno could easily keep up with her and would keep up with her at any pace she chose. "What do you want from me? Why do you keep following me?" Elena turned on him suddenly, surprising him and making him stop short to avoid running into her.

"I ain't followin' ya," Reno smirked, "I'm just walkin' to the same place you're goin', along the same path, at the same speed you're goin'." Elena was furious. Nothing she could do would stop him. She turned and kept walking, trying her best to ignore him and look as unapproachable as possible.

"As for what I want," Reno jogged a step or two to bring himself along side of her, "What if I just wanna be your friend?"

"That doesn't make any sense," Elena muttered, unable to keep her vow to not speak to him.

"Why?"

"It just doesn't!" Elena was frustrated, "Ok, any interaction we've had so far has been forced upon me. You jumped through my window, and then refused to leave, and now you follow me around and won't leave me alone!"

"Maybe you don't need to be alone," Reno suggested, the words sounding meaningful despite the casual way they were spoken. Elena was silent for a moment, surprised and actually thinking about what he'd said.

"I think I know what I need," Elena finally came back with, "And I need you to leave me alone."

"Ok," Reno agreed, earning a sharp, suspicious look from Elena by his quick acquiescence. He dropped several paces back, keeping silent but continuing to walk behind her.

"What are you doing now?" Elena demanded, glaring over her shoulder. She should have known it was too good to be true. Reno brought his gaze back to her, pretending surprise that she was talking to him.

"Oh me? I already told ya," Reno grinned impishly, "I'm walkin' to the same place you're goin', at the same speed and on the same route." Elena gave up. There was no winning with this one. She didn't say anything, simply walking on in defeat. Neither spoke the rest of the way to school, but Elena kept stealing furtive glances over her shoulder, checking to see if he was still there. The redhead always was, walking along happily, seemingly unaware of her annoyance.

"Have a good day at school, 'Laney!" Reno called out loudly when they reached the building. His shout earned a few stares, making Elena blush in embarrassment.

The set-up was the same on the way home. Reno followed her all the way, pretending not to notice the constant hatred she poured his way.

"Well, you might as well make yourself useful," Elena spoke roughly, handing over her backpack after a few minutes. He took it with nothing more than a smug smirk that burned Elena's pride. When they reached her home, and she tried to take it back from him, Reno would not let go of the backpack.

"Say please," he taunted, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Elena's temper flared and she jerked on it, hard, but to no avail. He held onto it easily.

"Please," she muttered, and at once Reno released the backpack.

"See ya tomorrow, 'Laney," he grinned, starting to walk off.

"That's what you think," Elena spoke under her breath, a devious plan hatching in her mind as she spit her tongue out at him.

"You know you like me hangin' around," Reno said teasingly, the accusation clearly disturbing the girl.

"Do not."

"Do too."

"I'm not getting dragged into your immature games," Elena headed for the door.

"Whatever, but you know you do," Reno refused to yield. Elena ignored him. Once back in her room, she set her backpack down, removing her math book quickly. She had a lot of homework.

"Do not," she whispered.

The tall, dark-haired man paced grimly back and forth across the deep-auburn colored hardwood floors. They were so shiny, he could almost see his face reflected back at him as he frowned at the floor in concentration.

"Tseng, you barely have any Turks left. You're going to have to recruit new members if you want to launch such a large-scale operation." The man who spoke sat comfortably but seriously at a massive mahogany desk. Mr. Shinra, president of Shinra Inc., was the most powerful man on the face of the planet at the moment, but he couldn't be sure how much longer that would last if his new Director of Administrative Research refused to lower his recruiting standards.

The department, otherwise known as the Turks, consisted of only the best of the best, carefully selected from the Shinra military academy, or pulled from the ranks of SOLDIER. Lately, they had been suffering losses at the hands of common drug dealers. The illegal drug trade was running wildly rampant through Midgar, and was only a concern for Shinra because it was forming rings of underworld types who were becoming more and more organized, and thus stronger. Nothing strong enough to threaten Shinra's absolute power of course, but enough to be a nuisance. Besides, left unchecked, one of these gangs could grow powerful enough to be a threat.

They'd become increasingly cocky, making statements of fearlessness and power by attacking Shinra operatives. Many of Shinra's regular army force had been killed, but that didn't bother the President. They were easily replaceable, and not worth much to him. What bothered him was the number of Turks lost. These were his best, his personal bodyguards, the men and women who handled the situation when all else had failed. Evidently they had become lax. Tseng, the President knew, was trying to whip them back into the unstoppable force they had been formed as, but most of them were dead now, picked off one by one through various accidents and failed missions throughout the past six months. The final straw had come that past week, when three Turks had died at once, blown up in an explosion while investigating the hide-out of a known drug lord.

Tseng was left with two Turks, better trained than the others had been at least, but what could he do with just the three of them? He'd been dreaming of cracking down on the drug trade, hard, wiping out most if not all of the dealers and stopping their obnoxious attacks on Shinra property.

"I've been to the Shinra Military Academy once a week for the past month," Tseng said, exasperated, "None of them display the level of skill I'm looking for in my Turks."

"Well, they have to been _trained_, Tseng," the President spoke condescendingly, grating on Tseng's nerves, "They don't come already professional."

"If any of them showed much promise, I'd have already recruited them," Tseng stopped pacing in front of the large floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking Midgar, cloaked in darkness and speckled with lights. It was late, and he wanted this meeting to be over so he could go home.

"What are you going to do then?" The President was becoming bored. Wasn't the purpose of having a director for that department so that he wouldn't have to deal with all of that?

"I'll just keep my eyes open for individuals that possess the potential to be a Turk," Tseng declared, "The problem in the first place was that too many who weren't capable were recruited. In the mean time, we need to go ahead with the plan. If we leave them be, they will only grow stronger. Give me and my remaining Turks permission to command several units of SOLIDER and we'll do what we can with that."

"Done," the President agreed easily, "I expect you to start making progress soon. Use whatever levels of aggression are necessary. These street scum don't deserve mercy." The President waved Tseng away tiredly. Tseng was only too happy to leave. He'd got what he wanted and hopefully he could find some decent recruits for his Turks soon.

Elena put her plan, perfected as she fell asleep the night before, into action early in the morning. She woke up earlier than usual, hurrying through her preparations for the day. She had an added bonus of avoiding her father by getting up earlier. He wouldn't be awake for another half hour or so. By then she'd be out of his reach for several hours. Dashing outside like a sprinter in the final leg of the race, Elena slid around the corner, quickly on her way to school.

"No, no, no!" she slowed to a stop and stomped her foot in frustration. Reno was sitting quietly on the concrete, leaning against the brick wall, waiting for her. He smiled, hopping up smoothly.

"You're a little early today, 'Laney," Reno grinned, both of them knowing her being early and his being there were both not accidents. Elena tried to remain dignified in her defeat, composing herself and marching on determinedly. She dumped her backpack into Reno's arms as she passed him.

During the teacher's half-hearted lecture on the enthralling inner workings of a leaf, Elena's attention was far from chlorophyll. She tapped her pencil anxiously on her desk, thinking desperately. Clearly changing the time of her departure didn't work, so she developed a different plan. When the final bell rang, Elena hurried through the halls, finding her way to a back door that exited on another side of the building. She would be able to sneak around where Reno usual waited for her.

Had anyone seen her lurking through the shadows, imagining herself a ninja, they would have questioned Elena's sanity. She kept looking around frantically. After what felt like an eternity, Elena was hurrying along, looking over her shoulder at the school building. She was elated, but something didn't seem right….she didn't see the redhead anywhere. She shrugged it off, turning to watch where she was going as she picked up the pace. She ran straight into Reno's ready arms as he stood waiting to catch her.

"I'm happy to see you too, 'Laney," he was barely holding back his laughter as she stared blankly up at him, and then roughly pushed him away, turning red and frowning angrily.

"How did you know?" Elena demanded, angrily thrusting her backpack at him and storming off.

"You're so predictable," Reno grinned, "And not very good at being sneaky."

"Jerk," she muttered.

Over the next week, Elena invented many new and inventive ways to avoid Reno. She left by different routes, at different times than usual. Once she even brought a change of clothes to school with her, leaving in her 'disguise', complete with her hair tucked away under a hat. Reno was impossible to shake. Every time she thought she'd outwitted him, outmaneuvered him, or just plain outrun him, the redhead would be waiting around the next corner, an adorable and mischievous smirk on his face. She refused to give up, spending her nights concocting new strategies, falling asleep with a smile on her face as she envisioned herself finally beating him.

Reno never failed to notice when she had a new bruise either. She had always tried to hide them from view, but now with someone actually really paying attention to her, her efforts doubled. Still, no matter how hard she tried, every time she approached him with a bruise that wasn't covered by her clothes, she could see his eyes flick to it and a worried frown would kill the carefree grin. Elena could tell he tried not to outright mention it. He could tell she didn't like talking about it. On these days he simply asked more seriously how she was doing. Although her pride prevented her from doing anything other than acting annoyed by his persistent questioning, she was really quite touched by his concern. She wasn't used to anyone caring.

This particular morning, Elena was trying a move she thought particularly clever. For the past several days she'd been trying different routes, becoming increasingly sneaky in her attempts to shake Reno. Today, she was going to go her old route. If it went as planned, he would be lurking in some obscure corner waiting for her along some complicated path and she would simply breeze past him on the simplest route and he would never know.

Stifling a laugh, Elena slid along the brick wall, her back pressed up against it as she peeked slowly around the corner. No redheads in sight. She dashed out, making a break for the next alley, the cover of which she quickly hid within, glancing around, her heart beating loudly in her ears. Still no sign of Reno. Elena smirked. She quite enjoyed sneaking around and it was so much more rewarding when there wasn't an arrogant boy waiting for you around every corner telling you how pathetic your attempts where.

She continued her sprints from alley to alley, cautiously checking for Reno every step of the way. Elena hadn't seen him yet. Elated, she hurried on, thinking she may have beat him for once. Hardly daring to hope, she had to press her hands over her mouth to stop from laughing aloud in sheer triumph. Victory surged through her veins, putting a bit of a skip in her step as she rushed along the path to school. _What now, oh-so-clever Reno?_

Despite the strange looks she got for it, Elena let out a shout of triumph when she reached the school building without a sign of Reno. After all her failed attempts, she had finally given him the slip and it felt…empty. Turning and looking at the street behind her, Elena searched for Reno. He was nowhere to be seen. He hadn't caught her sneaking off, hadn't followed her, he wasn't even there. She'd finally got what she wanted, so why did she miss him?

Elena would have stood there all day, waiting for him to catch up to her, except the bell rang, forcing her reluctant feet into class. Glancing around one last time, she turned slowly and trudged inside, the day suddenly seeming greyer.

Elena hadn't been able to pay attention all day, and she was still distracted as she quickly gathered her things together and hurried out of the building. She hoped to see Reno, lounging against a wall somewhere, waiting for her to show up so he could pester her all the way home. She smiled, imagining the gloating she could do for having finally beaten him at their little game.

Her smile faded when he wasn't there. She walked slowly all the way home and he never showed up. _Where the hell is he?_ Elena trudged along, wondering why her backpack suddenly felt so heavy. Was it always so gloomy beneath the Plate? Elena felt intensely alone, despite the people swirling about her on the dirty streets. She was used to this feeling, as if you were the only person who really noticed you. It was downright cruel for her to have gotten used to having a friend and then having him so abruptly taken away. She became angry with him. Clearly she wasn't very important to him. He didn't really enjoy talking to her. He must have just been looking for something to do, and gotten bored with her and no he was gone.

Elena roughly brushed the few hot tears that came to her eyes as she glanced around one last time before entering her home. That's what she got for thinking something good could happen to her. She stomped angrily inside, forgetting her usual protocol of sneaking to her room to avoid her father. The noise brought him quickly from where he sat in front of the flickering TV screen.

"Shut up!" The scent of alcohol on his breath made Elena want to barf. The man had a death grip on her arm, squeezing it so hard she thought something might burst. He cuffed her on the side of the head and tossed her roughly down the hall. "I give you a place to sleep and feed you, the least you can do is keep down the damn noise!"

"Sorry!" Elena yelled back before slamming her door behind her, dropping her backpack on the floor and collapsing on her bed, "Sorry I was ever born." Tears dripped down her nose and soaked into the purple blankets as she sobbed out her disappointment.

Tseng sighed as he slammed his apartment door closed behind him. It was already 1 AM, but he didn't head straight for bed. Instead, he poured himself half a rocks glass of a quite excellent scotch. It had been a long day. Tseng never drank his problems away, but he wasn't beyond believing a touch of a fine liquor or whiskey could help ease the stress. He loosened his tie and pinched the bridge of his nose. These SOLDIERS he had to work with were complete buffoons. He was amazed they hadn't managed to entirely botch every task he'd given them. They'd made mistakes here and there, but nothing terribly serious until tonight.

They'd been cracking down on the drug trade for almost a week now and all they'd managed to uncover and eliminate so far were petty gangs, responsible for hardly a percent of the illicit drug market. Tseng knew the big gangs were out there somewhere, confident in their precautions, laughing at his attempts to crack their security and shut them down. The worst part was that they hadn't entirely eluded him. The previous night, they'd managed to catch hold of a boy, no older than eighteen surely. A group of SOLDIERS had brought the captive to him, struggling violently.

What had struck Tseng first was the fact that this single young man had actually injured five of the eight men that had jumped him. Only three of them were seriously injured, but it had been eight trained second-class SOLDIERS against a single street rat. That along was attention-grabbing. Besides that, they'd discovered his pockets crammed with drugs, packaged for sale. The boy himself was not high, and there was no way he'd managed to get his hands on that much to sell. So if he wasn't a druggie, and he wasn't a dealer, he must be transport. Tseng had quickly concluded this much the night before. He'd been excited. It was an ingenious idea and showed promise of leading to something bigger, much bigger than what he'd found so far.

He'd wanted to question the boy at once, but those idiotic SOLDIERS had sedated him, feeling he was too troublesome to struggle with anymore. So Tseng had decided to wait. A night held in mysterious captivity was enough to loosen the young man's tongue. He probably didn't know much anyway. Tseng had hoped to extract a clue or two about where to look next, but nothing very important. At the very least, they'd release him and have him followed, seeing where he went for the next several days. Another kink had been thrown into Tseng's plan when he'd been called away from his project, the President requiring him as a bodyguard for a daytrip to Junon. That night, when he returned, Tseng had quickly discovered that the same eight SOLDIERS who had brought the boy in had taken unkindly to being beaten up so easily. They'd taken it upon themselves to question the young man themselves, and from what Tseng gathered, their methods had been rough, to say the least.

It had taken an hour of yelling and threatening, but Tseng had managed to finally get the gist of the situation. Since that morning the eight members of SOLDIER had interrogated and basically tortured the young man, thinking they would save their reputations by getting helpful information. As Tseng had expected, the boy hadn't known much and the SOLDIERS had been too dense to see the clues in anything he had known anyway. According to them, he was hiding the information. The final straw came when they had been careless enough to let the boy escape. Despite his stress over the situation, Tseng was further intrigued by this young man. He'd held his own in a fight against eight SOLDIERS, and had later escaped from the same men after being tortured for a day. Who was this boy?

Tseng would never know now. His one link to a large drug ring was gone, off to warn his employers that the hunt was on. They would be extra careful now, and Tseng's chances at making progress were even slimmer. The President was expecting results, and so far all he had were handful of petty drug dealers, several injured SOLDIERS, and a case of needless torture to cover up. Tseng smacked the empty glass down and trudged to his bed, not bothering to carefully fold his work suit. This was quickly turning into a nightmare.

Reno ran. He ignored the searing pain that tore through his side with every ragged breath. He ignored the sharp throbbing and stabbing that covered almost every inch of him. He wanted to curl up in a ball until the pain went away. But instead he ran, not having a moment's doubt of where to turn despite the confusion his mind was thrown into at the moment. He hadn't been paying attention for one single moment the night before, and it had all gone wrong, and fast. He had to hurry. The pain threatened to drown his conscious mind any minute, and he couldn't black out in the middle of the street. He had to get somewhere he'd be safe, where he wouldn't have to watch his own back at least long enough for him to catch his breath. He gasped and stumbled, scratching skin off his hand as he reached out to the concrete wall he was passing for support.

Reno passed an arm jerkily across his eyes, not sure if the momentary blindness was caused by blood dripping in his eyes or if his vision was starting to slip away in face of the overwhelming pain. It didn't matter either way now. He was there. Unable to slow down sufficiently in time, Reno slammed against a brick wall on purpose, the impact stealing a small cry from his lips. His outstretched hand had smacked against the window like he'd wanted, making enough noise to be heard, or so he hoped. Trembling arms strained to keep himself standing as his legs started to buckle beneath him.

Elena's attention was drawn to her window with a start. She'd been miserably doing her homework, staying up late to get it done after her episode of crying on the bed. Something had hit her window. Spooked, she slowly got out of her chair and crept over, peeking around the curtain, her heart thudding. It was hard to see anything in the meager light cast there by her lamp, but she saw that particular shade of red hair, and it was enough.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, jerking the window open and frowning down accusingly.

"Elena…" Reno didn't manage to say anything else as he struggled to pull himself up and through the window. He didn't need to say anything else though. Elena's frown quickly turned to one of concern as she noticed something was wrong. First, he called her 'Elena' instead of 'Laney', but then she noticed his heavy, uneven breathing and the blood on his face. He managed to climb through her window and stood there, swaying on his feet for a brief moment.

"Help." With that single word of explanation, Reno simply collapsed at her feet.

_Author's Note: Exciting! LOL, you guys know me, we can't get through a story without at least one instance of Reno getting beat up. And this time we're starting early! Only chapter two! Well, I'm leaving you guys with this suspense. Yes, I know some of you will get upset about the cliffhanger, but what can I do? It's too good to resist! I promise to update soon, how about that? So anyway, I've recently gotten really into the whole steampunk thing, so if anyone knows any great steampunk novels or movies or anything, just review and let me know! Even if you don't, go ahead and review with your feelings about this chapter! I rely upon your reviews! *fangirl spasm* Teenage Reno is so adorable! AHHHHHHHHH! _


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: So if you forget what happened at the very end of the last chapter, you definitely need to glance back over it before reading on. =P Also, it has come to my attention that I forgot to put the scene change spaces in the last update, confusing several people. I'm sorry! I forgot. Oops. I put them in here, although there aren't many scene changes. I'm very pleased with this story so far, so I hope you guys are enjoying it too! Now I left you on a cliffhanger last week, so I won't keep you long! Read on! And don't forget to review! _

Elena's jaw dropped as she stood frozen for a second.

"Reno?" she tried to keep her voice down, but it was difficult because of the panic rising within her. She dropped to her knees beside his crumpled form, gently rolling him flat on his back. In the light, she could see that he was badly hurt. "What happened to you?" she murmured, wide eyes looking over the many wounds she could see. Elena started to panic. She had no idea what to do. Clearly he was very injured and the worst she'd handled was the occasional cut from not being careful enough with a knife while cooking.

Sucking in a breath sharply, Elena's eyes fell upon two matching cuts, along his cheekbones, one below each eye. They bled fiercely and looked painful. Something about the precision of the cuts made her gut twist. That wasn't the usual kind of wound one would get in a fight. Those were carefully planned and executed. _Who did this to him, and why? _Taking several deep breaths, Elena tried to compose herself. Reno needed help, and had come to her. She had to get a grip and help him all ready. She was no medical professional, but she was going to do her best.

"Ok, ok, you can do this, Elena," she muttered to herself, trying to calm down enough to be of some help, "Alright, bleeding. That needs to stop." She picked what seemed like the most important task, and frantically tried to resolve it. "Stay here, I'm going to be right back." Elena spoke to Reno, even though she doubted her could hear her. _Not like he's exactly going to be jumping up and running off. _

Elena usually never left her room at night. It was a habit she had found particularly helpful, considering the fact that her father was always considerably more drunk at night, and she did live in a whore house. It was simply safer in her room. But tonight she had to venture out to help Reno. Doing her best to move quickly without being seen, Elena gathered as many spare towels as she could carry as well as an extra set of sheets she doubted anyone would miss. _As if anyone else around here pays attention to such things as laundry!_ Her last stop was in the kitchen where she got a large bowl and filled it with water. As she recovered from the initial shock, Elena began to gather her wits and she realized her best course of action right now would be to wash and bandage whatever cuts she could find. She hoped there was nothing worse.

"I'm back," she announced to the still unconscious Reno as she slipped through the door with the spoils of her late night raid on the hall closet. He didn't look like he'd so much as moved a muscle. The more imaginative side of Elena's brain was going crazy, conjuring up all manner of morbid scenarios that could have ended up with him like this. For her own sake, and his too, she shoved them violently aside, focusing only on the task before her. "Ok, Reno, where are you hurt?" She settled on the floor next to him, feeling rather dismayed. She didn't have the least idea how to go about this.

Dipping the edge of the softest towel she could find in the water, Elena dabbed it carefully along one of his cheekbones. This drew a hoarse moan from his lips as his face briefly twitched into a cringe, but it cleaned the blood away, allowing Elena to really see the red gash. She bit her lip. She had little experience with any sort of first aid, but she could tell that was the kind of thing you got stitches for. And there was no way she could get someone to stitch it up. Doing it herself was out of the question. She knew it would only make it worse.

Elena worked quietly for some time, being as gentle as she could around the various cuts on his face, neck and arms. The blood flow was slowing down considerably, and that relieved her greatly. She prayed he wouldn't bleed to death right in front of her. One particularly pesky cut above his left eye kept dripping down, wetting his eyelashes. Elena grabbed a pair of scissors and cut off a section of the sheet to press over this wound, successfully stemming the blood flow. She cut some strips of fabric off the sheet, tying them in makeshift bandages where she could. There were trickier spots, like the wounds along his cheekbones, that couldn't really be bandaged. She just had to content herself with leaving folded strips over them. She wasn't sure what this accomplished, but it seemed better than leaving them uncovered.

"Why can't they teach us anything useful in school?" Elena muttered to herself, wishing she'd had some kind of first aid training. She bit her lip, staring at Reno's torso deep in thought. She'd done her best with all the visible wounds, but she doubted whoever had done this to him had stopped at that. In fact, she knew they hadn't because she was staring at a rip in his t-shirt that revealed a long cut over his ribs. Even though he was more than a little skinny, Reno possessed a good amount of lean muscle and Elena couldn't lie to herself anymore and pretend she wasn't attracted to him. She was hesitant to get anymore hands-on then she'd already been.

Glancing up at his face, Elena checked to make sure he was really out. It was awkward enough lifting up his t-shirt to reach the wounds underneath when he was unconscious. Had he been awake, Elena doubted she would have been brave enough. Blushing profusely and absentmindedly holding her breath, Elena quickly surveyed the damage underneath the fabric. Her held breath came out in a gasp as a surge of emotion passed through her. Carved into the flesh on the lower right side of his abdomen was a bloody smiley face. A horrified look on her face, Elena barely remembered to breathe. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the sadistic smile, literally dripping and oozing blood across his pale skin. If the wounds on his face hadn't been enough, this proved to Elena that Reno hadn't just been caught in some random fight. These wounds were all very precise and deliberate. She could only describe it with one word. _Torture._

Elena swiftly went about tending to the awful drawing cut into his skin as well as the several other gashes that decorated his torso. The silence seemed to amplify the little noises she made, as well as his labored breathing. Reno was looking rather pale, and he hadn't woken up yet. Elena wasn't sure what was normal for people in his condition, but she'd feel a lot more comfortable once he'd become conscious. A disturbing amount of blood covered the towels in dark splotches. She'd have to get them in the wash before they stained. Luckily, most of his wounds were only slowly seeping blood now. He was beginning to stir, mumbling inaudible snatches and wincing. Elena suspected he was in a great deal of pain and she had no way to make it easier for him.

Elena looked around slowly, wanting to make him more comfortable, but completely mystified as to how she could get him to the bed. Deciding it would be impossible, Elena settled by grabbing a pillow and some blankets and bringing them to Reno. He was still laying on the hard floor, but that was the least of his worries right now.

"Try not to move," Elena cautioned, gathering the bloodied towels and the now reddened water, "I need to take care of these." Sneaking around for the second time that night, Elena slipped through her door, barely missed crossing paths with her father. She held her breath and pressed flat against the wall, watching his shadow stumble out of sight around the corner before she crept in the other direction.

After she had disposed of the bloodied water and put the towels in the washing machine, Elena hurried back to her room, pausing as she passed the hall closet. For half a second she considered searching it for some kind of aspirin, but abandoned the thought almost as quickly as it had come. The only sort of painkiller, even as mild as an aspirin, they'd have in the house would most assuredly be stored in her father's room. His drinking problem gave him bad hangovers, so the bottle was probably there, where it would be close to him.

Shaking her head, Elena crept back into her room, her attention gladly switching from her father to Reno. Not surprisingly, he hadn't moved from where she'd left him. With a sigh, Elena sat cross-legged on the floor next to him, concern for her injured friend enveloping her features. His paler than usual face turned towards her, Reno wore a slight frown and the feeble siftings of his body attested to the agitated state he was in. His parted lips twitched with the snatches of words spoken at an inaudible level. Elena leaned closer involuntarily to hear, but she couldn't make anything out. She carefully removed the folded make-shift bandages she'd placed over the cuts on his face, grimacing as she looked at them. Her own face stung just looking at them. She couldn't imagine what he felt.

Timidly reaching a hand out, she rested her fingertips on his jaw, where she could already see a bruise rapidly forming. She slowly slid her fingertips up his face, eventually bringing her whole hand to rest lightly on his skin. A loud bang from somewhere in the house startled her and she flinched, accidentally pushing her fingers against the bloody gash under his right eye. Reno gasped and his eyes shot open, confusion and pain filling them. His instinct reaction made him attempt to sit up at once, before Elena could warn him. He made it half way up before the wall of pain hit him. Elena could see it register in his face. A look of surprise was quickly drowned in soundless agony as he fell back down roughly. His eyes were squeezed shut and his breath came in swift, short gasps as he struggled to get a grip.

Elena's heart smashed against the walls of her chest loudly, her hand finding Reno's comfortingly but her head turned towards the door, eyes wide in fear. She prayed desperately that it wasn't her father in a drunken rage looking for something to beat on, namely, herself. She couldn't even imagine what would happen if he found Reno here. She didn't know how she would explain that to a normal parent, much less her unreasonable and most likely drunk father. In the state Reno was in, the most probable outcome was that he'd get killed. No more sounds came from outside her room, and Elena was able to calm down and turn her attention back to Reno.

"Try not to move," she cautioned, too late. Reno gave the tiniest nod possible and squeezed her hand, reminding Elena that they were holding hands. She blushed and released her blonde hair from where it was held back behind her ear, hoping it would fall enough over her face to obscure the color that had risen there.

"Holy shit," Reno's voice was strained and hoarse, but still made Elena smile. He was so confusing to Elena, but the one thing she knew for sure about him was that he always made her smile. She reached up to her desk and handed him the bottle of water that had been sitting there. He accepted it gratefully, gulping down several mouthfuls. "Reno, I know you probably don't feel like talking, but you have to tell me what happened! Who did this to you?" Elena felt the panic she'd brushed away at first returning, ready to have it's share of her time.

"SOLDIERS from Shinra," Reno answered, only mystifying Elena more. He saw the confusion on her face and went on, "I've got a really terrible job, 'Laney, but it's enough to live off of and it's all I know how to do." Reno sighed. He already felt ashamed of himself for doing what he did, and he'd tried to avoid having to tell Elena. She deserved the whole story though, after he'd showed up in the middle of the night, demanded help, and blacked out on her floor.

"What do you do?" Elena questioned, trying to sound casual, but the curiosity in her voice poorly hidden.

"I transport drugs," Reno made a face to show his dislike of the job and regretted it instantly as it irritated the wounds in his face, "I move 'em from the guys who procure them to the guys who sell 'em. That's it. I hate it, but I'm good at being sneaky and not getting caught. You understand, right? You're not gonna hate me all of a sudden or anything, are ya?" Reno's aquamarine eyes turned on her pleadingly, and even if Elena had intended to be upset with him about it, she doubted if she would have been able to after that.

"Of course I understand," Elena reassured him, "I don't have to support myself in the same way you do, but I know plenty about doing what you have to do to survive." Reno nodded. Of course she would understand. Elena was perfect like that. She kept the questioning going. "But what does that have to do with Shinra? Why would they send SOLDIERS after you?"

"I don't remember much," Reno pressed the hand that wasn't laced with her's to his forehead, carefully avoiding the gash over his eye, "But it's not me specifically they're interesting in. They wanted information about who I worked for, but I didn't know any answers to the stuff they asked." Reno's bright eyes darkened, and Elena felt his hold tighten on her hand. She sensed more than heard the change in his breathing, and it dawned on her suddenly that Reno was scared. She was surprised. He always seemed so confident and in control of everything that it was hard to imagine him being afraid of anything, but then again she hadn't seen what he'd gone through. She shuddered, her overactive imagination painting scenes of what they'd done to him. The gruesome smiley face carved into his abdomen flashed through her mind and as Elena looked down on Reno, tears welled up in her eyes.

"They wouldn't believe I didn't know anything," Reno's whispering voice cracked slightly, "It was hell, Elena. I can take a beating in a fight, but this…this was different. And these…" Reno gestured to the cuts along his cheekbones. A shudder ran through him and he sucked in a breath, closing his eyes as if to block out an image. Evidently reliving the day was traumatic for him. Impulsively, Elena leaned down and hugged him, careful to avoid hurting him. A single tear rolled down her cheek. _Nobody should ever have to go through anything like that. And Reno's practically still just a boy!_ She doubted he was much older than herself. Not even a legal adult. What kind of monsters went around torturing children?

Reno was surprised by her sudden hug at first, but then he weakly put his arms around her as well. The world seemed to freeze for a moment leaving the two of them in the awkward embrace, she trying not to hurt him and him laying on the floor.

"You need to rest," Elena pulled away as suddenly as she'd hugged him, the embarrassment just hitting her. She busied herself with pointlessly adjusting the make-shift bandages on his arm while she focused on pretending the color rising to her cheeks wasn't there. Reno's quick eyes didn't fail to notice this though, and the tiniest grin spread itself across his face.

"'Laney?" Reno could feel sleep tugging at him, but he had to say something first.

"Hmm?" she took the risk of a moment of eye contact.

"Thank you for helping me," Reno picked her hand up and brought it to his lips, pressing a delicate kiss on her fingers. His words were completely sincere, but he couldn't resist messing with her, especially when she blushed so easily. Elena's heart stopped for a moment, and she froze, forgetting to not look directly at him. Instead she stared into his sparkling aquamarine eyes, a furious blush taking over her face.

"Good night," Elena squeaked out, jumping up and making it to her bed in one leap where she curled up under the covers with her back to him. Reno laughed silently, enjoying the power he seemed to have over her. After a few minutes, Reno was drifting off to sleep very quickly when Elena spoke, trying to regain some dignity.

"Guess you won't be following me to school tomorrow then," she smiled, always glad when she beat him at his game somehow.

"Tomorrow is Saturday," Reno mumbled back, practically asleep and still managing to sound smug. Elena pounded a fist into her mattress in frustration, envisioning the smirk on his face. She couldn't help but smile though.

The weekends were something Elena did not look forward too, oddly enough. She was happier during the week when she had an excuse to be gone from the house for several hours a day. Her weekends usually consisted of her trying to spend as much time in her room as possible, slipping out occasionally to do chores as quickly as she could. Ideally, she got all the work done without running into her father. This way she didn't have to put up with him complaining that she hadn't done it, or him beating up on her while she tried to work.

When she woke up Saturday morning, Reno was still fast asleep, and she left him there while she hurried through her chores. In a miraculous turn of events, Elena finished cooking breakfast exactly when she heard her father getting up and coming to the kitchen. She left his plate of steaming eggs and toast on the table and ran off silently with the rest. It was almost noon, but the whole house always slept late. After all, most of the houses inhabitants were up most of the night.

"Wake up, Reno," Elena spoke softly, bending over him, "You don't want your breakfast to get cold!" _He is rather absurdly attractive._ As if she'd ever thought otherwise. Elena felt a smile working it's way onto her face as she observed him sleeping. He looked so relaxed, even though the pain he was in showed through. She didn't get much of a chance to watch him like this though, as he blinked his eyes open, looking around sleepily. He looked confused for a moment until his eyes fell upon Elena.

"Mornin'," he grinned, flinching as the motion stretched the cuts on his face, "It's not pretty, is it?" Elena was making a face at the dried blood crusted around the cuts, and she shook her head.

"I brought you breakfast," she informed him, motioning to the plate of eggs and toast she'd placed on the floor, "Does it hurt badly?"

"What specifically are you asking about?" Reno spoke through clenched teeth as he dragged himself painfully to a sitting position.

"You know…all of it," Elena gestured to the entire upper half of his body, handing him the plate and a fork.

"Yeah, it hurts," Reno uttered a short, mirthless laugh, spearing a piece of scrambled egg fiercely.

"Dumb question, I know," Elena sighed, "I'm going to try and get some aspirin for you at least, but it's in my dad's room and I don't know if I'll get a chance."

"Don't risk it, I'll be fine," Reno assured her, giving her a serious look.

"But you're in pain! I want to help."

"'Laney, if it wasn't for you, I'd probably be layin' around in my crappy apartment, still bleeding, with my dumbass landlord kickin' down the door and trying to raise the rent on me," Reno stated, "You've helped plenty already. I don't want you getting hurt just to ease the pain a little."

"Are you sure?" Elena was skeptical.

"Of course I'm sure. And if I catch you sneaking off," Reno gave her a threatening look, leaving it hanging.

"What will you do? You can barely move," Elena crossed her arms, knowing she had control over this one.

"Well yes, there is that to consider," Reno chewed a piece of toast thoughtfully, "Just don't, okay?" "Whatever," Elena didn't promise anything. She still intended to go for it if an opportunity presented itself.

_Author's Note: Reno is so adorable. =D I love him. You guys may have figured that out by now. =P Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review and let me know what you think! Much love!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long! I was out of town, and then my internet messed up for a bit, so yeah...Hopefully the chapter is good enough that you guys can forgive me! =P I had some confusion for awhile about where I was going to go next in the story, but I've definitely started to get all of it worked out, so we should get moving along here pretty soon. I hope you are all enjoying it! I know I am. So yeah. You guys are awesome! I"ll shut up now and let you get to reading. xD Enjoy!_

By that evening, Elena still hadn't managed to find a chance to sneak into her father's room. She knew there would be an opportunity later that night once business really picked up in the front room. During her several outings so far though, she'd managed to gather armloads of extra pillows that she'd arranged in a corner so Reno wouldn't have to lie on the floor anymore.

"I think this is more comfortable than a normal bed," Reno declared, collapsing on the cloud-like pile of pillows. He'd dozed on and off all afternoon, but he was still looking tired and weak. Elena could only imagine the stress going through something like that must put on the body. Elena plopped down next to him, curious to see how comfortable it really was.

"Huh," she snuggled into the pillows a bit, "I think you're right. This is fabulous. Wanna trade? I'll sleep here and you can have the bed."

"Nope, not gonna happen," Reno turned to look at her, giving the biggest grin he could manage without hurting his face. It wasn't very big. "This is my corner full of pillows. Get your own." He shifted, the movement pulling at his abdominal muscles. "Damn," he muttered, grimacing, "What the hell did they even do?" He laid a hand lightly over his stomach.

"Don't you remember?" Elena glanced towards the spot where she knew the sick smiley face was carved into his skin.

"Actually, I don't remember a lot of it," Reno spoke softly, "It's probably for the best. I do want to see though." He pulled up his shirt, straining to get a look at his torso without pulling on the cut muscles too much. Quickly seeing that it wasn't working, Elena hopped up, dashing over to her dresser and retrieving a handheld mirror.

"Here, this might help," she handed it to him, "If you're sure you want to look." Reno took the mirror, a small smirk on his face, implying his amusement at the fact that she doubted his courage to look at his own wounds. The amused look swiftly turned to one of surprise as his eyes fell upon the reflection of the smiley face.

"Well that's…creative," Reno commented, a small frown growing on his forehead, "Wait…I remember that now…" His voice drifted off, and Elena doubted his thoughts were going anywhere pleasant. She took the mirror from his hand and carefully pulled his shirt back down, covering the wounds.

"On the bright side, they're healing already," Elena put the mirror down on her desk, fumbling for something to talk about to take his mind off it, "So as long as we've got all this time together," she settled down on the pile of pillows next to him, pushing his long blood-red ponytail out of her way, "We should get to know each other properly. I mean, all I know about you is that you hate your job, you're sneaky, and you're landlord is a jerk." _And you're the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen in my life with the most amazing smile and a fabulous, if sometimes annoying, sense of humor. _Elena stopped her mental list before she caught herself admitting any emotions that maybe she wasn't ready to acknowledge head on yet.

"You have a point," Reno laughed, "All I know about you is that you don't like being followed to school, your father's a bastard, and while you may pretend to hate a guy, you'll help him out when he needs it."

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Elena argued, "Let you bleed to death on my floor?" Reno shrugged.

"That's what pretty much any other person in the world would do with me."

"People are jerks."

"Agreed," Reno sighed, "Now about getting to know each other. Introduce yourself properly to me. I'm talkin' name, age, birthday, favorite color, favorite food, that kind of thing." Elena grinned, ready to play along.

"Hi, my name is Elena," she reached her hand over to shake his, "I'm sixteen, my birthday is October twenty-seventh, my favorite color is purple, and chocolate is my favorite food."

"Good start," Reno praised her, "I'm Reno, I'm seventeen, not entirely sure when my birthday is-" Elena cut him off at once.

"You don't know when you're birthday is?"

"I told you my parents were either dead or gone, right?" Reno glanced up at her, "It's not like anyone stamped a date on my arm or anything. I know how old I am, just not down to the month or anything. I think it's sometime in Summer though."

"That's sad," Elena declared, imagining what it would be like to not even know when your own birthday was.

"You think so?" Reno shrugged, "I don't really care. Now can I please say the rest? You didn't let me finish!"

"Yeah, sorry."

"My favorite color is red. I know you're goin' to ask, so I'm just gonna go ahead and tell ya. That is my real hair color. I don't dye it. As far as favorite food goes, I'd have to say…food."

"Food?"

"Yes, my favorite food is food in general. I'm not picky," Reno smiled, evidently pleased with their conversation, "Now how about something you hate?"

"I hate my father. More than anything," Elena was suddenly serious, her words spoken viciously.

"Understandable," Reno nodded slowly, "I hate my landlord. From day one he's been a jerk, but there's not a lot of other apartments as crappy, and thus as cheap, as this one. I mean, I'm just goin' for a roof and some walls really. I don't ask for much. But the bastard thinks he can pick on me or somethin' just because I'm not an adult. He's always tryin' to push me around. I've gotten in more than one scuffle with that dumbass. It's complicated though because I can't let him get too mad at me or he'll kick me out. So every now and then I have to let him beat me around a bit, just so he doesn't get too mad. Pisses me off." Reno and Elena both sat silently for a moment, absorbed in their own and each other's misery.

"I think we need to talk about something else," she ventured, her arms wrapped about herself protectively. It was her instinctual reaction whenever she thought about her father too much.

"Yeah," Reno tapped his fingers against the wall thoughtfully for a moment, "Ok, tell me about some people that you do like. Who's your best friend?"

"I don't really have one, I guess," Elena shrugged, glancing lazily over the strange shadows the lamp cast on the ceiling, "I've got friends at school, but that's kind of where it ends. I don't really go out and do much with anyone. It's not like I'm inviting anyone to come hang out here."

"Good point. So how does this whole thing work anyway?"

"What thing? You mean, my father's business?" Elena spoke the final word as if it was a joke, which was how she viewed it. It was one, big, sick joke to her.

"Yup," Reno behaved as if casually inquiring after someone's father's prostitute business was perfectly normal and appropriate for random conversation. Elena laughed.

"Well, there's about ten ladies that live with us and do most of the…work," Elena spoke awkwardly, carefully selecting her words. She'd never had to describe how her father ran his whore house before, "And at nights several others come to…work, and leave when the customers do. My father handles all the payment, and he takes a percentage of the money earned. He takes more from the ladies that live here, to pay for room and board. That's pretty much it." She looked at him strangely, but with a smile. Of all the people in the world, he was the only one that would go for the most awkward conversation topic.

"I see. Are you friends with any of them? I mean, ten of them live right here with you," Reno didn't bother trying to hide the grin on his face. He knew it was a weird conversation topic, but in all honesty, he wanted to know everything about her, including the place where she lived.

"Sort of. You may have noticed, I don't exactly like to hang out anywhere but my room. Some of them are nice to me and treat me as something of a little sister, or a pet, but then there's a few who think I'm supposed to wait on them or something," Elena laughed, "I never say this to them, but I'm always thinking, 'You're a _prostitute_, not royalty. You don't get servants'." Reno laughed, holding his side as pained gasps broke into his laughter here and there.

"Say it, promise me you'll say that out loud next time," he grinned.

"I can't!" she smiled at the thought of doing it though, imagining the shock it would give them if little, push-over Elena spoke back.

"And why not? It's the truth, and it's not like they're better than you or anything."

"I just can't. It's not what I do," Elena sighed, "I stay out of peoples' way, and don't make anyone mad, and they leave me alone. It's how I get by."

"Well do what you want, I'm just sayin' you shouldn't have to put up with shit from anyone," Reno's sparkling aquamarine eyes blinked tiredly up at her.

"Thanks, Reno," Elena smiled thoughtfully to herself. That was something she'd really needed to hear. Her whole life she'd been treated like she was some how lesser than the people around her, and didn't deserve any respect. For starters, her father beat her, and many of the unrealistically gorgeous women that worked there had treated her poorly over the years, a combination that had long since worn through any respect she had left for herself. Elena had come to believe that she wasn't worth much, and it was constantly surprising her when Reno treated her as an equal, with respect and kindness. Even though he teased her occasionally, it was never mean. Elena liked the way he made her feel, like she was worth something, even special.

Realizing that a silence had developed while she was lost in contemplation, Elena turned her head to glance at Reno, wondering why he hadn't said anything. The redhead had fallen asleep, his breathing steady and deep, an improvement over last night. Smiling to herself, she stood up, careful not to disturb him. Pulling a blanket lightly over him, Elena crept over to her own bed and grabbed a book, not quite ready to go to sleep yet herself.

Almost an hour later, Elena drifted off. She'd only managed to get through two pages since the majority of her time she'd spent content to just listen to Reno breath. For some reason the sound was entrancing, and she wasn't sure why.

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Tseng tried to refrain from slamming his office door behind him as he entered, collapsing exasperatedly in his chair. Pinching the bridge of his nose, the man focused on breathing slowly until he regained his composure. He'd just returned from a particularly obnoxious meeting with the President. Tseng had wanted the SOLDIERS responsible for the brutal treatment of the captive, not to mention letting their only possibly good source of information go, fired entirely. Sadly, Heidegger, head of the SOLDIER department, had intervened for no other reason then to get on Tseng's nerves.

"Sneaky bastard," Tseng muttered. The man had managed to get to the President first, telling a watered down version of the story and convincing Mr. Shinra that Tseng was overreacting. It hadn't helped when Tseng had lost it a little bit upon finding Heidegger with the President. Tseng shook his head, annoyed. The unauthorized torture of hardly more than a boy was now being referred to as a "minor, unfortunate incident" and the SOLDIERS responsible were merely demoted a rank.

As if that weren't enough, the President had taken the opportunity to reprimand Tseng for his lack of progress in breaking up any of the larger drug rings. It was the truth, but it wasn't his fault, and even though he was perfectly capable of taking criticism, did it have to have been when Heidegger was present? The man had practically had a stroke trying to hold in his laughter.

If it hadn't been for Heidegger's pathetic SOLDIERS, Tseng would have had the chance to interrogate the captive personally. They claimed he had refused to admit anything but insignificant details, but they were evidently not the brightest of the bunch. What they saw as an insignificant detail could have blown the whole thing wide open to Tseng. He needed to make progress with this project, and quickly. He'd have to start getting more hands on with the investigation. Tseng decided to go home, change into something less conspicuous than his Turk uniform, and wander around the slums to see what information could be picked up. In the back of his mind, he knew it was something more specific he was looking for. Tseng wanted to find the escaped captive. It wouldn't be hard. He'd noticed the boy had an unusual shade of bright red hair. It was really only a matter of time. Assuming he hadn't been beaten up too much and had died in some dark alley somewhere by now. Tseng frowned, refusing to believe that had happened. He trusted his instincts, and his instincts told him to go after the young man.

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"Come on, keep up!" Reno called over his shoulder as he walked briskly ahead, Elena's backpack slung lightly over one shoulder.

"But you're walking too fast!" Elena whined, dragging her feet and fighting to keep her eyes open. It was one of those mornings were it felt like as soon as your head hit the pillow, it was time to get up and start another day. "Aren't you supposed to be hurt?"

"People recover, Elena. And after all that time spent laying around, I'm happy to be walking around!" It had been almost two weeks since the night Reno had come banging on her window, bruised and bleeding. All but the most serious injuries were healed by now. The cuts along his cheekbones had healed disturbingly slowly, and it was obvious they were leaving ferocious looking scars. Elena sighed and trudged a little faster, feeling a bit of a smile creep onto her face as she watched Reno walk along, a slight bounce in his step. It was clear he was happy to be up and about, although he'd stated on multiple occasions how much he enjoyed doing nothing but laying around all day on his pile of pillows. He was lazy, but energetic, a combination she didn't really understand, but then again, she didn't really understand Reno in general.

"I'm going back to my apartment now," Reno announced, handing her the backpack, "I was well enough to take care of myself days ago, so I guess it's about time."

"You're going?" Elena always knew he would go back to his apartment at some point, but she still felt disappointed. It was easier to get through the days when she had something to look forward too. Before, she'd dragged her feet on the way home, putting off getting there as long as possible. In the past two weeks through, she'd hurried, almost jogging some days, eager to get back to Reno.

"Don't look so sad," Reno smirked, looking rather pleased, "I'll be here waitin' for ya when ya get out. I gotta sort out some things first though." Elena guessed he meant his job. After all, he hadn't shown up for two weeks.

"I'll see you then, I guess," Elena smiled, an impulsive hand reaching up to touch his cheek, fingertips sliding just under the healing wound, "Take care of yourself." Elena turned abruptly and tried to refrain from running into the building as she blushed furiously, mentally slapping herself for not restraining her impulses.

Reno didn't move until the girl was out of sight. Even then he stood pointlessly in front of the school, vaguely wondering why his skin felt tingly now. Shrugging it off, he hooked his thumbs in the corners of his pockets and slowly walked off, unable to move his mind on to the task before him. Eventually, the importance of what he needed to do managed to drag his attention away from Elena. For obvious reasons, he'd been unable to show up to work as usual for nearly two weeks. As he directed his steps towards the meeting place where he was given the packages for delivery, Reno hoped they were still using that location and that someone was there. He couldn't afford to lose this job.

**This is a separator because I can't get anything else to work.**

Reno had no trouble locating the boarded up old building behind which lay the meeting place. Even though it was always pitch dark when he went there, he'd never had difficulty memorizing locations. Casually taking in the surroundings, Reno made sure no one was watching before he ducked off the street and around to the back of the building. The semi-light that seeped through the Plate above and kept the slums from being entirely dark didn't reach back here, leaving the space in a shadowy darkness much like dusk. Reno had to blink a few times to adjust his eyes to the dimmer lighting, and looked around quickly. A small sigh of disappointment escaped his lips when he saw no one. The place was deserted. He should have known as much. They switched meeting locations every few weeks to throw anyone who should happen to be looking to closely off.

"Well, well, look who's back." A man stepped out from the even more shadowy depths of the doorway, throwing a faintly glowing cigarette to the ground and crushing it out with his shoe. Reno instinctively stiffened at the man's appearance. He knew the outline and the voice well enough, since this was the man who normally gave him the drugs to be delivered and told him where to deliver them to, but he'd never been entirely comfortable around the man. His sudden appearance wasn't helping the dangerous aura the man already emitted. "You'd better be glad you've had a good track record until now, otherwise there's no way in hell we would've waited around for you to show your sorry face around here again."

"Sorry," Reno spoke gruffly, all his natural cheerfulness suppressed entirely, "I got held up."

"Got held up?" the man took a threatening step closer, speaking with sarcastic politeness, "Elaborate, please. You'd better have a damned good explanation for failing to deliver the goods and disappearing for two weeks!"

"Shinra's people grabbed me," Reno responded to the man's threatening tone by making his own fiercer, "They're trying to break up the drug rings and spent a day interrogating me. You're lucky I don't know anything." The man's attitude changed at the mention of Shinra.

"_You're_ the one who's lucky you don't know anything!" the man grabbed Reno by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the brick wall, hard. Reno refused to show any pain, although his already bruised body cringed at the impact. Knowing better than to fight back, Reno simply looked the man steadily in the eye as he continued his rant. "If you so much as breathed a word to Shinra, you'd find yourself praying you'd never been born! How can I even be sure you're telling the truth? You could be working for them now! You don't have any proof to back your story." Reno's eyes glinted as he shook his head to get the hair out of his face, pointing a finger at one of the gashes in his cheekbones.

"That proof enough?" the redhead was really starting to get irritated now, "I've got more to show for it!" Pulling his t-shirt up, Reno revealed the angry red lines of the mostly healed smiley face and the other cuts on his abdomen. The man noticed the wounds on Reno's face for the first time with surprise. He glanced down for a moment at the other injuries and his grip weakened a little, offering no resistance when Reno roughly shoved the man's hands away from his collar. "I was gone for two weeks because I wasn't fit to be running around distributing your drugs for you. They took the stuff I was carrying that night and didn't exactly leave it where I could take it when I escaped. Believe me now? All I want is my job back."

"You've got it back," the man said begrudgingly, "I'll meet you here tonight as usual, but you've got to pay attention to what you're doing! Don't get caught this time."

"No way in hell I'm lettin' them get me again," Reno muttered, "You'd better warn the others though. Not everyone knows we're being hunted now."

"You did good, kid," the man grunted, sounding slightly less harsh then usual, "There are some pansies higher up in this operation that would've squealed a lot quicker than you."

"I'm just doin' a job," Reno shrugged, "And I don't know anythin' to tell even if I wanted to."

"You'll go far," the man patted him in a rough, comradely manner on the shoulder before pulling out a new cigarette and a battered lighter, "Wait ten minutes than you can leave." The man puffed on his cigarette as he shuffled off, leaving Reno alone behind the abandoned building. The redhead didn't bother mentioning that he didn't want to 'go far' in this drug ring.

He glanced at his watch. He had time to get something to eat, sleep for awhile, and then meet Elena at her school. He'd probably spend the rest of his afternoon with her, before it was back to the job he hated. With a sigh, he shoved off the wall he'd been leaning against and ambled casually back out into the street.

**This is a separator because I can't get anything else to work.**

"Reno, what are you doing?" Elena looked up, perplexed, from her math homework. The redhead was on his back, laying over the edge of her bed, his head almost touching the floor.

"Lookin' at the room upside-down," he explained calmly, as if it were completely obvious and in fact quite normal, "What? It's not like you're being anymore interestin'."

"I already told you, I have to do my homework!" Elena was actually relieved for an excuse to ignore the papers in front of her. She had enough problems of her own to deal with, so why was math making her solve it's problems too?

"Are you sure it's mandatory?" Reno pulled himself awkwardly up, wincing and rubbing a hand briefly over where the muscles were still healing in his abs. He rolled onto his stomach, resting his chin in his hands and looking at her with his gorgeous aquamarine eyes. "Because I think it's more like a suggestion."

"I'm pretty much positive that I have to do it," she reassured him, trying to keep a serious face, but failing miserably. She could never hold back a smile when she was with him.

"So there's a slight chance you don't have to do it?" he continued his interrogation.

"There's a slight chance I'll throw you right back out that window if you don't shut up and let me finish my homework! It's hard enough without you interfering."

"So there's a big chance you won't throw me out the window?" Reno's eyes sparkled as a smirk slowly spread it's way across his face.

"Reno!" Elena grabbed a pillow and hit him across the head with it as hard as she could. He laughed, the only damage being that his hair was now messier than usual. He pulled the pillow from her grasp and smacked her back. Elena didn't retaliate. Instead, she pointed a finger warningly at him and turned silently back to her work.

"Aw, but we were just starting to have fun!" Reno whined.

"Here, play with this," Elena tossed him a snow globe, dug quickly from her desk drawer, a relic from some outing or other with her mother years ago. The little red-roofed Wutian buildings inside stood strong against the swirling simulated snow. _So easily amused,_ Elena laughed to herself, watching how instantly captivated Reno was, content to sit quietly on her bed, shaking the little glass globe and watching the 'snow' settle on and around the buildings. Turning back to her homework, she couldn't help but feel a little bit proud of herself for thinking of it.

_Author's Note: So the lines I just put in to mark the changes in scene disappeared...I'm going to try again. Let me know if the separators showed up or not! Please review and let me know what you think! Much love!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long! I'm recovering well from my surgery, but it was kind of a big deal so I'm still working on getting back to life in general. =P This is a little short, but I have the rest of the plot pretty much worked out so we should get going here pretty soon! Let me know what you guys think!_

Tseng was losing hope. He'd been covering the whole sector in a grid-like pattern for nearly two weeks without any results. It was boring as hell, spending night after night trudging around looking for the one person he believed could help. Still, Tseng walked on. He'd never given up on anything in his life. That didn't mean he always won. He'd faced failure many times, but he was determined to get a different outcome this time. With no major results since the start of the operation, the higher-ups were on the verge of commanding a shut-down of the investigation. Although he'd managed to break up many smaller drug rings, the larger ones continuously eluded his efforts and the President was anxious to avoid the embarrassment of failure. If they spent too long going after it without reaching their goal, it would become clear that Shinra wasn't capable of anything they set their minds to. This was not an image the President wanted for his company. Tseng needed to make progress, and fast.

Someone slid past him, the slight bump disrupting his thoughts. With a jar of annoyance, Tseng realized he'd allowed his attention to slip from the task at hand. Two seconds later, he completely froze. _Could it be?_ The figure hurrying past was tall, skinny, and had long blood-red hair pulled into a messy ponytail that dangled between his sharp shoulder blades. Not allowing the opportunity to pass him up, Tseng reached out swiftly and grabbed the young man's arm.

The figure instantly whirled, attempting to jerk his arm free at the same time, but Tseng held on even tighter when he saw the man's face. This was definitely the young man the SOLDIERS had dragged in that night. Something was different though. Two identical cuts, that must have been quite horrific looking at one time, but healing now, lined his cheekbones, directly under the angry aquamarine eyes.

"What the hell, man?" the redhead sounded irritated, and struggled to break free.

"They hurt you badly, didn't they?" Tseng spoke under his breath, staring at the wounds and wondering how those buffoons had possessed the cruelty to do something like that to hardly more than a boy. His gaze shifted up to the bright eyes that flashed surprise and then suspicion, tinted with a bit of fear.

"Do I know you?" the young man spoke rudely, attempting to cover up what his face so poorly hid. It was clear he was confused, and he kept glancing at Tseng quizzically as if trying to recall something.

"No, you wouldn't remember," Tseng was finally beginning to recover from his surprise at actually finding who he'd been looking for, "But I must apologize for what they did to you. It was completely unauthorized and those responsible have been punished. I've come looking for you, because I have a business proposition. A job. I need your help with something."

"Like hell I'm gonna help you!" the young man jerked his arm free and took off running, leaving Tseng behind in the dim orange glow from a flickering street lamp.

"Wait! You have to listen to me!" Tseng bolted after the figure, but the redhead was faster and lost him in seconds through a serious of tight corners. Slowing to a stop and realizing he'd let his only chance slip through his grasp, Tseng sighed, unable to believe the cruel twist of fate. It would have been better if he'd simply never found the young man. It would have been easier to accept. He was destined to face Heidegger's ridicule forever.

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

Reno slowed to a standstill when he was only a few twists and turns away from the strange man. He frowned and pressed a hand to his forehead. The face seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it. It was like trying to find a shadow in a fog. Slowly, but surely a memory, or was it a dream, came back to him, hazy and indistinct but enough for him to remember where he'd seen that man before. The night he'd been attacked, he was dragged off somewhere, slipping in and out of consciousness. He remembered seeing that face. The man worked for Shinra, and had something to do with his capture. What was it that man had said just now? He replayed the recent incident in his head, something about it intriguing him. Reno took off again, navigating easily to his destination.

"You said something about a job?" Tseng whirled around to see the redhead rounding a corner behind him. Only moments ago the young man had been running off in the opposite direction. _How did he sneak around me like that?_

"Yes, yes I did," Tseng tried to regain his cool, clearing his throat, "But we can't discuss it here." The redhead didn't let him go on.

"Look, if you're with those bastards who beat me up before, I ain't goin' anywhere with you," he crossed his arms firmly, "You've got five minutes, here and now, or I'm walkin'."

"Fine," Tseng sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "I know who you work for, and the people I work for are very interested in who you work for. We'd be willing to reward you generously for information. That's all I can really tell you until I know if you're in or not." The young man looked at him skeptically.

"You're asking me to give you information, that Shinra will use to rid themselves of this organization, leaving me without a job," he raised an eyebrow, "Doesn't really sound like I'm winning in this situation, huh?"

"What makes you think I'm with Shinra?" Tseng stalled, realizing this was going to be a lot harder than he'd thought. He was treading on thin ice, trying to play his cards right to keep the young man from running off again.

"Please, I'm not stupid. It didn't take me long to figure out where I was being held."

Tseng frowned. This redhead astounded him at every turn. They were always very careful to avoid revealing who, or where they were in that kind of situation. He decided to change his approach.

"Ever heard of the Turks?" Tseng was going out on a limb here, but he was running out of options.

"Who hasn't?" the redhead countered, appearing cool on the outside, but starting to freak out internally. This man had something to do with the Turks? He'd known the man was with Shinra, but the Turks? Shinra's elite killing squad was not to be trifled with.

"We're recruiting. Prove yourself by getting me what I need to take down this drug ring, and you're in. The pay is better than good, the benefits are many, but I'm not going to lie to you. The risks are high, you can't refuse a mission, and a mere handful have reached retirement," Tseng prayed desperately that the young man would go for it. If he accepted, Tseng would have to do some major convincing to get anyone else on board with trusting a kid off the street, but if he refused, Tseng had no other leads.

The young man was staring at his feet, kicking a stray pebble with a contemplative look on his face. Several tense moments passed before he looked up again, a smirk spreading across his mouth.

"What the hell. I'm in."

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

Reno walked home that night, pondering all that had happened. Tseng, as it turned out this man was called, had set up a place for them to meet above the Plate the next day. Strategies needed to be discussed, and although it wasn't mentioned, both of them needed to reassure themselves in trusting the other. Reno was intrigued by the opportunity. It was very likely the chance he'd been waiting for. A real job, that paid more than enough to just make it to the next day. He wouldn't be able to take Elena to school in the morning, however, and he wanted to let her know. Thus, he found himself standing in front of her window yet again. It was open.

"Elena," he called her name softly, pulling himself half-way through, trying to keep pressure off his still sore ribs. She lay, sleeping quietly in her bed, but stirred at the noise. "Elena!" He called her name again, and this time her eyes opened, blinking into focus.

"Reno? What's the matter, are you ok?" she sat up quickly, pushing her hair behind her ears, a wrinkle of concern in her forehead.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he grinned, "I just wanted to tell you that somethin' came up, and I won't be able to walk with you to school tomorrow. I didn't want ya to worry."

"Thanks," she smiled sleepily, "What is it? Nothing's wrong, is it?"

"Nah, it's nothin'. It's a good thing I stopped by though, cause ya shouldn't leave your window open like that. You never know who could just hop right in," he smirked, messy red hair falling in front of his eyes.

"I left it open for you," she slid back down underneath the covers, yawning and cuddling up to her pillow, "In case you needed something. Good night, Reno." Her voice slipped into more of a mumble as she fell back asleep.

"Sleep well," Reno whispered, pushing himself out the window and pulling it shut as he went.

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

"I sincerely hope you are joking, Tseng," the President raised an eyebrow while Heidegger snickered in the background, "When I allowed you to go ahead with this investigation, I didn't think you'd have to resort to hiring lowlifes off the streets to get results." A drop of nervous sweat formed on Tseng's forehead. He could practically feel the disapproval pouring over him from the President's gaze.

"You have to trust me on this," Tseng pleaded, trying to keep it as dignified as possible, "He has incredible potential. Give me another week. If we don't make some forward progress by then, you can shut the whole thing down." The air was so tense, the Wutian man thought he might suffocate. He swallowed nervously under the President's heavy stare.

"Five days," the man said finally, "You have five days to present some progress to me, or it's done, and I will be forced to select a new leader for my Turks. One who is competent." The President's words stung, but Tseng refused to flinch. He had faith in his strategic planning and the boy's abilities. He nodded curtly and turned to leave. "And Tseng…don't give the boy too much information. He's a disposable pawn in this scenario."

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

Reno leaned against a weathered iron lamp post at the corner where he was to meet Tseng. The redheaded teenager with his arms crossed over his chest didn't draw much attention in the busy intersection. Everyone was hurrying about their business, without caring much about anyone else's. He breathed the fresher above-the-Plate air deeply, his head angled upward so he could stare at the sky. It wasn't often that he had an excuse to go above the Plate, and he was enjoying it enormously.

"Hey, boss-man," Reno said lazily, never taking his eyes from the dull-blue sky above Midgar. Tseng was startled. He was positive Reno hadn't seen him approach. Seeing the surprised look on Tseng's face, Reno smirked. "Your footsteps." His explanation only confused Tseng more.

"But there's at least fifty people in the area. You couldn't have been able to tell if someone was approaching you or not," he was perplexed, but impressed. He could hardly imagine the asset this young man could be with the proper training.

"Yeah, but not all of them walk like you," Reno straightened up, taking his weight off the metal post, "Were ya plannin' on talkin' here, or are we goin' somewhere else?" He was here to do business, not explain all the little tricks he employed to keep from getting interrupted on his job.

"Yes, we're going to headquarters," Tseng led the way, motioning for Reno to follow, "It's the only truly secure location around here."

When they entered the glamorous lobby, Reno whistled.

"The front entrance looks a hell of a lot better than wherever ya drag the prisoners in at," he commented sarcastically.

"I do believe I have already apologized for the poor behavior of those who captured you," Tseng muttered uncomfortably.

"Poor behavior," Reno laughed cheerlessly, "That's one way to put it."

"About that," Tseng turned to Reno as the entered a large, spotless silver elevator, "Do you need any medical attention? None of us were really sure about the extent of the damage…" Tseng was staring at the cuts under the redhead's eyes. He winced, imagining how painful it must have been.

"I'm fine," Reno shook his head, "Now." Silence fell over them for the remainder of the short ride up.

"This is my office," Tseng opened the shiny oak door, pointing Reno to a chair while he himself took a seat behind his desk, "There's just a bit of paperwork that needs to be taken care of before we figure out a plan."

When Tseng had finished going through the paperwork for an incoming Turk, he frowned at the pages that contained a disturbingly small amount of information. Usually their recruits came from the military academy, and already had files that only had to be fleshed out. With Reno, Tseng didn't even have information as basic as a birth date. It was only just then hitting him how abnormal this was for Shinra. Hardly a person came near the building without undergoing a rigorous background check. He knew literally nothing about the redheaded young man sitting in front of him and looking at him expectantly.

"Uh, ok then," Tseng pushed the papers aside, "Most of our recruits in the past have come from the Shinra military academy, or SOLDIER. They've already had basic training at least, and don't get involved in any missions until they've completed our three-month training program. Obviously, that will not be the case for you. We've got a rather important deadline, so your training and actual fieldwork will have to take place at the same time."

Reno sat and listened to Tseng. The more he heard, the more he began to wonder, what exactly had he gotten himself into?

"You know more about how this drug ring operates than we do. Presumably you don't know much about anything important at the time being?" Tseng questioned.

"I know enough to do my job, and nothing more."

"Is there a way for you to get in a position to learn more? I cannot emphasize enough how limited our time is," Tseng seemed pretty stressed.

"_You'll go far". _The drug dealer's words from the day before ran through Reno's mind.

"Yeah," he spoke hesitantly, wondering how exactly he'd pull it off, "Actually, I think I could."

"Excellent," Tseng seemed relieved, "You need to get deeper into their operation. Rise through the ranks as quickly as possible. Learn as much as you can. Don't make them suspicious though. During the day, you'll come here and train. I'll assemble a sort of crash course for you, until we have time to go through the proper training. Your fellow Turks, including myself, will teach you how to properly handle a gun, starting with a basic handgun which you will carry with you at all times, and as we get more time, moving into every kind of firearm imaginable. We will also teach you hand-to-hand combat, and eventually you will learn how to use any weapon."

Reno raised an eyebrow, interested by what he could gain from these people, but again, wondering what on earth he was getting into.

"So…sounds intense," his outwardly cool manner never changed. It was Tseng's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"You have no idea."

_Author's Note: YAY! Reno's a Turk now! It was so hard to write when he wasn't! I was like...so...it's Reno, but we're missing a part of him! Anyway, I'm really tired so I'm going to go now! Please review and let me know what you guys think! Much love!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: Again, sorry for taking so long! I had a tough spot I had to get over, so forgive me if bits of this chapter are a little awkward. I promise it will get better. I've got a lot of really good stuff planned for this story, so we're not going to be done anytime soon! I won't keep you any longer. Enjoy! Please review!_

Reno mulled over everything Tseng had told him as he walked back home, feeling as though he was descending into hell when in reality it was only below the Plate. He had a few hours left to kill before he started work. At both his jobs. As his first official assignment, Tseng had asked him to get as deep into the drug ring as he could, and as quickly as possible. Reno knew it would be difficult, even though he already had an opportunity ready to go. These were suspicious people. It was how they'd survived this long without getting shut down by the authorities or competitors. They didn't welcome anyone who showed interest into their innermost circles immediately. One had to gain their trust, slowly over time. But Reno didn't have time, so he'd have to find another way.

He let his mind focus solely on developing a plan as his feet carried him along a path he knew by heart. He'd have to be careful. Show too much desire to get involved, and they'd become suspicious. He didn't have the time to slowly worm his way in while pretending not to care that much. Reno huffed in frustration. He didn't have a lot of options, but if there was one thing his life had taught him so far, it was that there was always a way. You just had to look in the right places. A grin took over his lips as an idea hit him.

He'd simply do what anyone looking for a promotion did. He'd use his current skills, sharpened by what he'd be learning at Shinra, to become the best at everything they assigned him to do. Whatever it was, he'd just have to do it better than anyone else. It would be a drastic turn-around from the attitude he'd had toward his work so far. He just did it for the money, he had no real desire to be involved in drug dealing. Reno had done his job, but he'd always been careful to not do anymore than was required of him. Doing a complete 180 degree turn in his attitude towards his job would be hard to overcome mentally, but Reno had no doubt he could handle it.

He'd become so good, that they would be the ones desperate for him to join their inner circles. Reno smirked. It was an excellent plan. Finished with his serious thinking, he looked up, glancing over his surroundings. Instead of near his apartment, where he should be by now, his feet had brought him to Elena's street, only a few buildings from hers. He was surprised, but pleasantly. He looked at his watch. _She should be on her way home already. _Looking down the alley alongside the brick building, Reno noticed her window was cracked open. He smiled. Even though he'd told her he wouldn't be able to see her today, she'd left it open anyway. He decided to surprise her, and pushed the window fully open, pulling himself up and rolling into the room.

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

Elena walked quickly past the buildings and shops she passed on her way home from school. Everything looked depressing and shady beneath the Plate, and she preferred not to look at any of it, letting it all turn into a brown and grey blur around her. Somehow everything seemed more dingy without Reno. His bright eyes and quirky grin always made her feel better. Even now, she was smiling just thinking about him. She wondered what he'd been up to today that prevented him from walking her to and from school. She hoped he wasn't off doing something for that horrid drug ring he had to work for. Now a frown creased her forehead. She worried about him getting into trouble as it was. Look what had happened to him already! And he'd only been transporting the drugs then. Who knows what mess he'd get into if he did more for them.

Elena rubbed her arms briskly, shivering at the cold. She could see her breath hovering in the air in front of her face. Dashing into the house, she kicked her shoes off at the door and wiggled her toes in their striped socks, trying to bring the feeling back. Tucking her hands under her armpits to warm them, she slipped through the hall, sliding her feet silently on the smooth wood floor. It was old, and had stains in places, but countless feet had worn it smooth as glass and Elena loved sliding across it in her socks.

A glittery pair of impossibly high heels planted themselves firmly in front of her. Elena stopped suddenly and jerked her head up to look at the woman standing before her. Her voluptuous curves were encased in a skimpy black dress and her hands tipped with nails that Elena imagine could easily draw blood were placed menacingly on her hips.

"What? Are you playing some stupid game or something?" the woman snapped, "Aren't you supposed to be older than that? Or maybe you're retarded." She regarded the stare Elena was giving her with disgust. Elena didn't say anything. She'd just let this woman say what she wanted, and then Elena could be on her way. "Well, whatever you're doing, quit doing it and go clean up my room. I can't find anything in there, and I've lost my favorite lipstick."

'_You're a prostitute, not royalty. You don't get servants.' 'Say it, promise me you'll say that out loud next time.' _The words passed through Elena's mind as clearly as the day she and Reno and spoken them.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" the woman leaned into Elena's face, towering several inches above her thanks to the ridiculous heels.

"Clean it yourself," Elena said, ignoring the woman's shocked face and pushing past her, running straight into her father. He grabbed her arm at once. Elena could have sworn he was pinching her bone.

"She actually does something around her to earn her keep, unlike you, ya little bitch!" the man swung her against the wall as she struggled to free herself from his grip, "The least you can do is clean her stuff up." He started walking off down the hall, still holding her arm and literally dragging her with him as she stumbled, losing her footing. The woman smiled with sickening fake sweetness and waved as she watched Elena being dragged off. Elena was thrown roughly to the floor in the woman's room, which was indeed a complete and utter mess. Muttering obscenities, her father left her there, not speaking another word to her.

Biting her lip and fighting tears, Elena got to her feet and started picking up, wishing she'd never said anything in the first place.

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

Rubbing the spot where her head throbbed from hitting the wall, Elena finally closed the door of her own room safely behind her. Locking it and turning around, she jumped and covered her mouth, stifling an outcry. A figure lay across the end of her bed. She recognized the red hair at once though, and became anxious, reminded of the last time Reno had appeared in her room suddenly. He was on his side, slightly curled up to keep his feet from dangling off the edge. His hands were in front of his face, his ponytail falling over his neck and splashing color across the bedspread. _He's sleeping. _Elena stood looking down at his relaxed face. She wondered how long he'd been there. His breathing seemed normal and, glancing over him, she saw no blood so she assumed he was ok. _I'll let him sleep._ She smiled, creeping around her room quietly as she got her books out to do her homework, the process slowed since she kept looking over at the sleeping redhead every few minutes.

"How long have you been here?" Elena started at the sound of Reno's voice, turning to find the redhead stretching and yawning.

"Shouldn't it be me asking that question?" she smiled, putting her pencil down willingly and swiveling her chair to face him.

"Good point. I've been here about…" he glanced at his watch, "Two hours. Why didn't you wake me up?" Elena shrugged.

"You were tired. I wanted you to rest. How did that thing you had to do earlier go?" The curiosity was unmistakable in her voice.

"Fine," Reno answered, following Tseng's instructions and not telling anyone, even Elena, about his new job. "Do you still have to go tonight?"

"Yeah, I'll probably get a lot busier soon actually," Reno's attention turned once again to his upcoming challenge. A small frown appeared on his forehead. Elena bit her lip apprehensively.

"Reno…what are you getting yourself into?" her voice was quiet and her tone hesitant, like she didn't want to pry into his business but felt she had to.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it," Reno mustered a smile, hoping she wouldn't see through it. Elena stared at him a few moments more, a slightly questioning look in her eyes. Uncomfortable under such scrutiny, Reno feigned interest in the sleeve of his jacket to give him an excuse to look elsewhere.

"So how have you been?" Reno casually tried shift the conversation away from himself.

"Ah, you know…" Elena sighed and turned back to her homework, letting her hair fall over her face, "School and…here." Reno could tell at once that she was upset, and not just because she could tell he was lying. Sliding across the bed to sit on the edge right next to her desk, he looked at her in concern.

"Did he hit you again?" he asked softly, not even needing to question really. He could just tell. Reno reached out a hesitant hand to gently brush her hair behind her ear, revealing her deep brown eyes that were welling up with tears. She nodded, squeezing her eyes shut and biting her lip to keep from crying. Before he could even think about what he was doing, Reno stood up, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her out of her chair to and to her feet. Held tightly against Reno's chest, she blinked away her tears and struggled to even out her breathing that threatened to start coming out in sobs soon.

"You should run away," Reno looked down into the locks of golden hair under his chin, feeling an odd mixture of anger towards her father, and something different, something softer and gentler for her.

"You think I haven't though of that?" Elena's voice was muffled and shaky, "Were would I go?" Reno was silent. He couldn't answer that. There was no way he'd let her stay in a place like he did. Not that her own home was much better at this point, but he feared much worse things would happen to her elsewhere.

"I'll figure something out soon," Reno whispered, still holding onto her tightly, "I promise."

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

Reno left through Elena's window that night with a steely determination to carry out Tseng's orders to perfection. If anything could supply him with the means to protect Elena, it was Shinra. Right now they needed a spy, and that's exactly what Reno intended to give them. He took the first leap in a dark alley after receiving the packages he was to deliver to the address muttered to him.

"You said I could go far," Reno commented, looking the man dead in the eye with an almost challenging look, "How far?" The man seemed surprised for a moment. Their interactions were usually kept to a minimum. Eventually a crooked grin appeared on his face.

"Come back here when you're done."

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

"Please tell me you have good news," Tseng leaned forward on his desk anxiously, awaiting an update from Reno on his previous night's work.

"I got promoted," Reno smirked, "Instead of runnin' drugs from one guy to another guy, now I run 'em from a warehouse to distribute to the guys who run 'em all over the city."

"This warehouse, were is it?" Tseng inquired, seeming very tired even though it was merely morning.

"Couldn't give you an address, but I could take you there, or point it out on a map," Reno replied, "I'm not sure if it's headquarters or what, but that's where the guy I know took me to suggest I get a more important job with them." By this point Tseng had pulled out a detailed map of Midgar's underworld, beneath the Plate. After only a few seconds of peering over it, Reno had located the warehouse. "If that's where he had to take me, clearly someone is there who makes decisions. I'll know more after tonight."

"Good, good," Tseng seemed a bit relieved, although still tense. Clearly this was a big issue for him. "I'm going to introduce you to your co-workers now." Tseng paused, appearing apprehensive. "I feel it only fair to warn you that they will probably be a bit…uh, resentful. After all, they've trained many long years to achieve the positions they're in now and you…well, honestly I just picked you up off the street, to put it bluntly."

"I've never cared what anybody thinks of me, I sure as hell ain't startin' now," Reno laughed mirthlessly.

"Well, let's get this over with then," Tseng stood up and led the way from his office a few doors down to a large room. It was decorated sparsely, but in excellent, and most likely expensive, taste. It appeared to be a sort of lounge, possessing an unbelievably large-screened TV, complete with state-of-the-art sound system and the latest gaming technology. The kitchenette that stood off to one side in a spacious alcove was no less excellently outfitted. Comfortable-looking black leather furniture completed the room.

More interesting than the room was it's four occupants that looked over casually as Tseng and Reno entered. More than one eyebrow raised questioningly at the sight of the lanky teenage boy standing next to the Director.

"Since when did you start adopting children off the street, Tseng?" a fiercely attractive woman laughed at her own joke, plucking a tea cup off the small table in the corner where she sat and taking a sip. Her red-painted nails clinked lightly on the simple cream-colored china, as she eyed Reno with emerald eyes that sparkled, though not with friendliness.

"This is Reno, the, uh, new Turk I mentioned to you all," Tseng spoke with an authoritive air, although it was clear on his face that he expected resistance. "Reno, this is Myka. Despite her attitude, she doesn't bite." The woman snapped her teeth together, as if to contradict what Tseng had just said.

"I didn't know women were allowed in the Turks," Reno remarked casually, an impish smirk on his face as he watched her lips tighten into a thin line and her eyes narrow. She tossed a head full of long, curly, deep red, almost maroon hair over her shoulder and set her tea cup down with a force that betrayed her irritation, sloshing tea on the table.

"Whoa, burn!" a young man with spiky brown hair exclaimed. A friendly grin spread over his face. He was reclined in an arm chair, expertly handling the game controller in his hand.

"I'm capable of a hell of a lot more than you," Myka snapped, speaking to Reno while she cast a glare of death towards the other young man, "And my hair color is natural."

"Oh, this _is_ my natural hair color," Reno came back quickly, his smirk growing to dangerous proportions, "And I can prove it too." The innuendo was missed by no one in the room.

"Myka, you just got _owned!_" the young man grew more excited, an expression of amusement and awe on his face, "I think I'm gonna like the new guy."

"Ah, this is Daniel," Tseng interjected before the situation could get any worse, "Be glad he doesn't have Myka's temper, because he can throw a knife, or any sharp object really, harder, faster, and more accurately than anyone." The man in question grinned and mock saluted before turning his attention back to his video game. Myka was clearly fuming, but she said no more as she haughtily turned the pages of the magazine on the table in front of her.

"Childish, all of you," the other person in the room muttered, casting an arrogant glance around the room. This man was older than the others, closer to Tseng's age. The tips of his longish black hair brushed his shoulders, but stayed neatly out of his face. "I don't see how you can bear playing those pointless games, Daniel. Your job is the very same concept, and more realistic too." The man criticized the shooter game currently displayed on the flat screen TV. Daniel shrugged, practically ignoring the comment.

"Reno, this would be Talan. He excels in pessimism," Tseng spoke sarcastically, gesturing to the dark-haired man who gave a curt wave in return, without even turning his head to look from where he sat rigidly in one of the black leather chairs. "So…" Tseng clapped his hands together in a business-like manner, surveying the room full of Turks, "We need to determine what level of hand-to-hand combat our new Turk is at. Volunteers to spar with Reno?"

"I'll do it," Tseng had barely finished speaking when Myka spoke up, her words frozen with a deathly cold. The woman set her book down with exaggerated precision, rising to her feet and walking out the door without waiting for confirmation from anyone. Tseng glanced at Reno, looking slightly disturbed, but shrugged and followed the red-headed woman.

"Now this, I've got to see!" Daniel paused his game and fled from his chair, vaulting over the sofa to reach the door quicker. Even the generally disinterested Talan seemed to be paying more attention to the situation, and after waiting around casually for a moment or so, he hurried along with them.

Myka didn't look over her shoulder once to see if they were following. In an angry silence, she rounded a corner and slammed open a set of double doors, making them swing on their hinges. The room beyond was evidently a gym, occupied by a handful of men, all of whom looked up quickly when the doors banged open loudly.

"Out. Move, now," Myka approached an area with pads on the floors, set aside for sparring, demanding it's current users away as she neared. They lost no time in getting out of her way, casting fearful looks her way as they stood awkwardly aside, watching.

"Look, don't _kill_ him," Daniel said to Myka, obviously becoming a little concerned. Myka removed her suit jacket and tie, shoving them roughly into Daniel's arms as she undid a few of the top buttons on her white shirt.

"When I'm through with him," she cracked her knuckles, "We'll know what he's capable of. But more importantly, what he's _not_ capable of." Daniel cast an appealing look towards Tseng, who ignored it.

"Do your best," the Director gestured Reno towards Myka who was already pacing on the padded floor like an animal waiting for the perfect moment to strike. As the two red-heads faced off, Tseng frowned and tried to keep calm. When Myka was angry, her rage gave her uncanny strength and then none of them were capable of besting her in hand-to-hand combat. Still, he hoped this would be one of those moments were Reno surprised him.

Reno watched the woman opposite him with interest. It took only a few tense seconds for her to pounce, coming at him with a flurry of punches and kicks that took every ounce of speed he possessed to avoid. Yet avoid them he did. When they both backed away a few moments later, she hadn't landed a single blow, which was clearly annoying her even more. Reno had learned from their brief encounter. She had splendid form, the result of years of training and practice, a luxury he did not share. Reno observed how her clenched fists shook. She was so angry it was disrupting her control. _A weakness._

He yawned, deliberately, and smirked triumphantly when the furious look took hold of her features. She flew at him again, swinging wildly in an attempt to hit him. Reno evaded her this time as well, ducking under her arm and popping up behind her. Before she could spin around, he had an arm around her throat. Her hands scratched at his arm for a moment, but his grip was too tight for her to get out of. She reached behind her, grabbing Reno's upper arm and flipping him over her shoulder, successfully releasing his hold and landing him flat on his back. The move surprised Reno, and he was stunned for a moment.

"You're light as a baby," Myka hissed at him, a mixture of rage and elation on her face.

"Yeah?" Reno recovered quickly, "Well, it's not hard to be lighter than you." Her anger distracted her long enough for Reno to flip her onto her face. Almost instantaneously, he rolled over, planting a knee on either side of her, successfully holding her body down while he pinned her arms behind her back.

"You should have told me you liked it rough," Reno grinned, keeping a tight grip on her as she struggled futilely. When it became apparent she wasn't going anywhere, Reno hopped up, backing away quickly to avoid the lashing out that followed soon after. Reno grinned. He'd honestly enjoyed that. When you weren't fighting to protect yourself, it was rather like a strategy game.

"How was that?" he inquired, rolling the shoulder she'd jerked when she'd flipped him. When Tseng didn't answer after a few moments, Reno looked up. The looks of surprise and a bit of awe on the onlookers' faces was unmistakable. "What?" Reno queried, but Myka answered for the others.

"No one beats me!" she furiously jerked her clothes from Daniel and stormed off. Talan recovered quickest.

"I warned you not to let your anger get the best of you," he called morosely after Myka. A huge smile was slowly spreading itself across Daniel's stunned face.

"Dude!" he jumped and punched the air excitedly, "That was awesome! She's had that coming for a long time now!" Tseng smiled calmly, and breathed a sigh of relief to himself.

"And this, ladies and gentlemen," he mock announced quietly, "Is why I recruited Reno."

_Author's Note: So I fail at coming up with names...so I stole all of those from various locations. =P I admit it...I don't take credit for those names. But whatever...anyway, I do have a story I want to suggest to you guys! One of my dear friends and faithful readers/reviewers recently started a RenoxElena fic! It's called Fight The Past and it looks really promising! It's by uchihacutie, so please go and check it out! Remember to review when you do! Thank! =D_


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: HEY! I'm alive! LOL, sorry I took so long guys! I promise I didn't forget about you or this story. In fact, you can thank the readers who messaged me to see what was up for this update. =P They reminded me I needed to update...so here's a nice decent length one for you guys to read! _

"What is this?" Reno snatched the small, thin, square box from her dresser. He'd been wandering Elena's room for over an hour now, messing with her belongings while she tried to do her homework.

"It's powder," Elena replied, glancing over her shoulder to give him a slightly amused look.

"For what?"

"My face."

"Why?"

"Haven't you ever heard of make-up?" Elena turned around in her chair to look at him exasperatedly.

"Oh," Reno commented, falling silent as he put the mysterious substance secured in it's plastic box back onto the dresser. He reached for the shiny cylinder next to it, opening his mouth to speak.

"Lipstick," Elena was watching him now. She'd answered his next question before he'd even asked it. "For lips. Also make-up."

"I knew _that_," he replied, rolling his eyes as if she were being ridiculous, "I suppose you know what this is too?" He held up another cylinder challengingly.

"First, of course I know what it is! It's mine and it's in my room," she laughed.

"Hmm, good point."

"Second, it's mascara. It's for eyelashes."

"More make-up, I presume?" Reno carefully placed the item back where he'd gotten it from, as though it would explode if handled the wrong way. To the best of his knowledge, it very well might!

"Yes, mascara is make-up."

"Are you wearing all this stuff right now?" Reno asked skeptically, looking at the small field of make-up essentials before him.

"Some of it, yes," Elena gave up on the idea of getting her homework done, and slid out of the chair onto her bed, laying on her stomach and watching Reno's inspection with a smile.

"Even this…mascara?" he pointed to the tube in question, narrowing his eyes at it as if a closer look would yield the answer.

"Yup."

"I wanna see!" Reno abandoned the dresser and hopped onto the bed in one quick motion, leaning over her face and staring intently at her eyelashes. Elena rolled onto her back so he could look, laughing at his antics.

"You're not really going to be able to see it that well," she said.

"Well why do you put it on if it's invisible?" Reno demanded, hands placed firmly on either side of her head as he closely examined the delicate hairs.

"I didn't say it was invisible!" Elena explained, "It's supposed to-" She was cut off when the door slammed open, admitting a woman clad only in a towel.

"Elena, can I borrow…" her voice trailed off into a surprised silence. Reno and Elena both looked towards the door, frozen in place. Elena's original panic subsided when she saw it wasn't her father, but was swiftly replaced with embarrassment as she realized what it looked like.

"Close the door!" she hissed in a whisper, quickly shoving Reno out of the way and jumping off the bed. A teasing smile started to appear on the young woman's face as she complied, pushing the door shut behind her.

"Elena! I had no idea you were dating someone!" she exclaimed happily.

"I'm not! It's not what it looks like!" Elena hastily tried to explain, turning entirely red. Reno slowly straightened himself up, eventually standing a bit awkwardly next to the bed as he tried to assess the situation.

"Oh, nothing to be embarrassed about!" the woman continued, smiling ear-to-ear, "We all do it!"

"No, you don't understand," Elena pleaded desperately, "He's just a friend."

"Nonsense, dear. You don't have to lie to me. I'm not going to tell Richard. You can sneak your boyfriend in anytime you want. And what a cutie he is too!" She looked him up and down. "A bit scrawny though."

"I'm not scrawny!" Reno broke into the conversation now, unable to let that slide. The woman just laughed, not even bothering to answer him.

"Well, honey, I won't keep you long. I just wanted to borrow your blow-dryer. I really like the way it-"

"Just take it!" Elena shoved the item into the woman's hands, desperately trying to end this horrid situation. "Go put some clothes on!"

"Eager to carry on?" the woman smiled knowingly.

"Oh my…no!" Elena's embarrassment was quickly turning back into a state of panic. She waved her arms emphatically, trying to convey the level of nothing that had been taking place before the interruption.

"Have fun! Let me know if you ever want to talk, Elena! I can give you some tips." With a wink and an enthusiastic smile, the woman slipped out the door, shutting it firmly behind her. Simply uttering an incoherent wail, Elena sunk to the floor, burying her face in the carpet and covering her head with her hands.

"What just happened?" the muffled words sounded like they were coming from a dying person. In truth, Elena didn't look much different at the moment.

"Well, I think that friend of yours just offered to-"

"No!" Elena cut Reno off at once, "Oh please, please let me disappear right now! This is so bad! I want to die!" Various exclamations of horror continued to pour from the girl's mouth.

Reno had to admit there was a certain level of awkwardness to the situation, but he could only really see the humorous side of it.

"At least she's not going to tell your dad," Reno commented, trying to bring her back to the land of the living. She paused in her ramblings. And then she began to laugh.

"Of all the things she said," Elena slowly sat up on the floor, "That's what stood out to you? That's what made the biggest impression?"

"Well, sure," Reno replied, "That and the fact that she thinks I'm scrawny. I don't know what's wrong with her. Hey! Why are you smiling like that?"

"No reason," Elena covered her smile at the scrawny comment, attempting to look very serious.

"I don't have to tell you that it would be very bad if your father thought you were sneaking some guy in here," he suddenly became solemn, "He looks for excuses to abuse you." Elena could only nod, rubbing her arms and staring blankly at the floor as she her mind followed that train of thought. "Of course, it was also interesting when she said-"

"Don't!" Elena snapped back at once, holding a finger up warningly, "I just want to pretend that never happened."

"Done," Reno smirked evilly, "Does that mean we get back on the bed?"

"Reno!"

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

"Ah, I'd _die_ without coffee!" Myka eased herself gently into one of the big black armchairs in the Turk lounge, curling up with her substantially large coffee mug clutched in her hands.

"Promise?" Reno smirked, faking a grab at her mug. Myka's blissful smile quickly turned to a glare.

"_You_," she spoke the word as if it was an insult on it's own.

"Yeah, I'm back," Reno let himself fall onto the couch, his long legs hanging over the arm, "Sorry if you were tryin' to scare me off. I'll let you try again, if you don't mind humiliating yourself…_again_." Myka's face turned red with anger, and the mug in her hand was in danger of being crushed from the death grip she had on it.

"I don't even know why he picked you up off the street anyway," she muttered into the steaming liquid comfort in her hands, "Asshole."

"Aw, come on, Myka," Daniel coaxed, never taking his eyes of his video game, "The kid's not that bad."

"Kid? When did we start playing house?" Reno protested, wondering how many years older than himself Daniel really was. It couldn't have been many. An exaggeratedly loud sigh from the corner drew their attention to Talan, who cast withering glances at them from over the top of his book. Evidently the conversation was annoying him as he tried to read. "Come on, we'd better go before we brighten up Talan's gloom," Daniel grinned, tossing the controller onto the low table in front of the couch, "I was supposed to be showing you some stuff today anyway." Daniel hopped out of his chair energetically.

"Yeah, Tseng said somethin' about that," Reno followed the man down the hall, "But I wasn't listening that hard so…" Daniel gave him a knowing smile as they stopped before a metal door.

"Now normally we don't even get to target practice with the noobs for several weeks, but Tseng said you needed to do it now," he placed his hand on the scanner next to the door, and watched Reno's eyebrows raise slightly when the door slid open smoothly, revealing how thick it was, "Not too shabby, eh? All the restricted access areas have biometric scanners. Anyway, like I was saying, I'm not sure why Tseng thinks it's so urgent. Maybe because most of us came from the Shinra Military Academy or somewhere else where we at least at some experience with guns. Have you ever fired a gun before?" Daniel led the way into the huge room, lit with fluorescents and filled with racks and racks of various kinds of weaponry.

"No, I haven't," Reno answered almost absentmindedly, turning a full 360 degrees to take in the whole place. All the walls, floor, and ceiling were metal, painted black, "Shit, man, this stuff is awesome."

"I know," Daniel grinned hugely, pulling a black handgun from a rack with several identical firearms, "We'll start with the basics. After all, this is the gun that we're supposed to carry all the time. You end up using it a lot." From a carefully organized drawer, Daniel pulled several rounds of ammo and headed off to the far end of the room where a shooting range was set up.

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

"Sir! Sir!" Daniel rushed into Tseng's office, not bothering to knock even though the door had been partially opened. He was slightly out of breath from running. "You need to see this." Without any further explanation, Daniel grabbed the arm of a bemused Tseng who was apparently not moving fast enough and began to practically drag him off down the hall.

"What's going on?" Tseng questioned, freeing his arm and picking up the pace to avoid Daniel actually getting behind him and pushing. Daniel shook his head.

"You just have to see."

Their journey ended in the weapons room, in front of a rather confused and slightly concerned looking Reno holding the black gun in his hand.

"What did I do?" he asked, looking from Daniel to Tseng, "He just ran off all of a sudden."

"Reno," Daniel typed a command into the system, causing a target to appear far down the range, "Shoot it."

"Wait," Tseng interrupted, "You're not being fair, put that target closer. That's not a sniper rifle you know."

"No," Daniel shook his head, eyes wide, "Just watch. Reno, shoot the target just like you did a minute ago."

"Ok," Reno spoke slowly, looking from Tseng to Daniel, giving them both strange looks. Handling the gun with a bit of a beginner's awkwardness, Reno took aim and fired all six bullets within seconds. Tseng squinted at the target, but could see nothing from this distance.

"Look," Daniel turned the computer monitor so the other two could see the close-up image of the target displayed on the screen. There was one hole, in the center of the target.

"I only got one?" Reno sounded dismayed.

"No…all of your shots hit this target, unless the computer's got some kind of glitch," Daniel looked to Tseng who was slowly beginning to look as astounded as Daniel. With a few more typed commands, Daniel had pulled up a slow-motion computerized playback of the shots just made. The three Turks watched as all six bullets followed each other through the hole made by the first one. Tseng's usual composure failed him and his jaw dropped open slightly.

"That's good, right?" Reno questioned, thrown off by their strange reactions. Daniel just nodded.

"Yeah…I think we're done here," Tseng commented, taking the gun from Reno's hand and giving it to Daniel, "Reno, come with me to my office. We need to discuss our next steps."

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

Reno gently pushed the door to his apartment closed behind him with his foot, an anxious frown on his face. It had been a few weeks since he'd first starting working for the Turks. Dropping roughly onto the couch that was also his bed, Reno pulled the black gun from the deep pocket in his pants where he'd kept it hidden ever since Tseng had given it to him. All the Turks carried a handgun at all times, mainly for safety he'd been told. Apparently Turks were targeted often enough. Staring thoughtfully at the weapon, Reno recalled all he'd learned over the past weeks. It had all been leading up to this.

That night, he'd learned that a meeting would take place the following day. He hadn't been told why, just that all the important people running this operation would be there and they wanted extra security there that night. It was exactly the opportunity they'd been waiting for. The elusive and unknown leaders of the drug ring coming out in the open and actually gathering in one place. Reno had already informed Tseng via the cellphone he'd been given. Apparently the signal was heavily encrypted and all the Turks had them. Still, Tseng hadn't wanted to discuss particulars over the phone, so Reno had been instructed to get some sleep, and come to headquarters as usual the following day. In the meantime, Tseng had left his apartment and returned to the Shinra building. Shinra's top strategists had also been called from their homes and would likely be up all night going through scenarios and creating the best plan of attack. By the following night, they'd all be briefed on the mission and ready to go.

Still staring at the heavy gun in his hands, Reno wondered if he'd have to use it. He wasn't sure what kind of plan they'd concoct, but the drug ring had no reason to suspect him of anything. Suddenly, he was struck with a desire to see Elena, even though he'd seen her only hours before. He just wanted to be in that room with her, where time somehow always seemed to stop, yet fly by so quickly. Unfortunately, he probably wouldn't be able to get away from Shinra the next day. He'd probably be busy there until it was time for his first official mission. Tucking the weapon out of sight again, Reno sighed and laid down, curling up and attempting to sleep.

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

When Reno walked into the Shinra building the next morning, he was directed to go straight to Tseng's office by one of the secretaries at the front desk. Rapping his knuckles lightly on the half-way open door, Reno didn't bother waiting for Tseng's response before entering.

"Ah, Reno, you're here," Tseng rubbed his eyes tiredly, "We have a lot to go over. Our mission plan is not completely finalized yet, but your part is fairly simple. You are going to do everything as usual, so nothing seems different than what it should be. You have one simple task, but it is vitally important. When all the leaders are present, you need to text me. This will be our signal to move in. All operatives involved will be informed of who you are, so you don't have to worry about our people attacking you. We've got the Turks and a group of basic soldiers as our attack force. Since your involvement with us will not be obvious, they'll have no idea who betrayed them and they won't attack you either. All you do is signal us, and then wait. We'll do the rest. Whatever you do, do not get involved! You could easily get caught in crossfire if things get messy. When we start moving in, just stay out of the way. Are you clear on your mission?"

Reno simply nodded. He was beginning to get nervous despite his best efforts to ignore it. _They've done this kind of thing hundreds of times. They know what they're doing._ Still, he fiddled anxiously with a strap on his pants as he left Tseng's office. He couldn't keep his mind from racing through all the possible things that could go wrong. He was surprised by the change in attitude awaiting him in the Turks' lounge.

Instead of relaxing in their usual positions, the three others were gathered around the table, pouring over huge sheets of paper laid out in front of them.

"He says we have an operative on the inside who will let us know when they're all assembled," Daniel was saying, "If it's none of us, then who the hell is it?" The three were looking at each other in bewilderment when Reno casually strode over to the table.

"Whatcha doin'?" he asked calmly, observing the blueprint of a building he knew very well drawn out on the paper before them. Several layers of transparent paper with markings had been laid over it, detailing every move everyone involved in the bust would make.

"Nothing you need to know about," Myka quickly answered before her less aggressive co-workers could say anything, "Rookies don't go on missions this important."

"That's right," Reno nodded serenely, trying to keep the smirk of his face a few seconds longer, "Tseng said all I had to do was send him the signal and then stay out of the way." There was silence for a moment as they processed this information. Myka's face colored with annoyance and Daniel's jaw dropped.

"You're the guy on the inside!" the young man exclaimed, running his fingers through his messy spiked hair, "No way!"

"Well that explains why Tseng recruited you," Myka commented coolly, "He's been trying to crack this ring for ages. I guess he was getting desperate."

"I've worked my ass off to get this opportunity for you guys," Reno answered her, "Try not to screw it up."

The waiting was hell. Reno tried to pass the time by sleeping, but he could never manage more than a light doze, where his increasing nervousness could still reach him. He would have loved to follow his normal routine and spend the afternoon with Elena, but Tseng wouldn't let him leave the building. Apparently, it was possible last minute plan changes might be made and he needed to be around to hear them. The redhead lay there on the couch, pretending he hadn't given up on sleep and wondering what she would be doing. It was the one thing that could successfully draw his attention from the approaching mission. He wished he'd had time to tell her he wouldn't be there today. Hopefully, she wouldn't worry and he'd just have to be sure and see her tomorrow.

"Reno!" Tseng was shaking his shoulder, "Time to go."

"Oh," Reno hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep. The other Turks were scattered about the room, having abandoned their suits for black combat gear. The assault rifles they carried were much meaner looking than the handguns he's seen up until now. Reno's stomach flipped uneasily. He wasn't particularly fond of anyone involved in the drug gang, but he began to fear he'd be witnessing a mass-murder.

"Got your gun?" Tseng questioned, looking rather tense himself, although for different reasons. Reno nodded. "Good. Well, this is it. We'll be moving in soon. Don't forget to send the signal."

"What, like I'm gonna forget the one thing I have to do?" Reno attempted to ignore his anxiety by covering it with his usual humor.

"It's possible," Myka muttered under her breath. Talan cast her a disapproving glance.

Less than an hour later and Myka's words were fast on their way to being proven completely untrue. Reno had not stopped thinking about what he had to do the whole night. Luckily, no one ever made much of a habit of socializing, especially tonight when so many higher ups were going to be present, so Reno had little trouble in hiding his anxiety from those around him. So far, everything had gone exactly as expected. Ironically, Reno was supposed to be providing security detail that night, so he was able to wander at will without arousing suspicion.

His fingers kept sliding over the cellphone in his pocket, impatiently awaiting the final targets. Reno jumped slightly when a hand landed heavily on his shoulder.

"Reno," the man he'd used to meet in dark alleys and who had gotten him further in to begin with was standing there behind him, "We'll want you inside the room for the meeting. We need people we can trust to keep their mouths shut in there." Reno just nodded, afraid to trust his voice to remain steady under the pressure. A jolt of fear ran down his spine. How was he supposed to test Tseng if he was in a room in plain sight of all the targets? That would make it a lot harder to stay out of the way when the Shinra operatives moved in too. _Oh well._ Reno would just have to make it work.

"Ah, welcome," as the last arrival walked through the doors, the man who appeared to be in charge of everything stood up and greeted the newcomer. Both men were very well dressed, like many of the others present. Reno had wondered about this for a moment. He wouldn't have expected such refined-looking people to be involved. Then again, someone had to be reaping the monetary rewards the drug-giant produced. "We may now begin."

This was Reno's cue. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he withdrew the cellphone carefully, holding it behind his back and out of sight of everyone in the room. In the space of seconds that passed like a lifetime, Reno typed a simple message and sent it, sliding the phone back into his pocket without drawing any attention to himself. Now it was only a matter of time.

Apparently less time than he thought. Just barely after he'd sent the message, a man burst into the room.

"It's not safe!" the man shouted, "The area's been compromised. You all need to go, go now!"

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

"Go" The test message was simple, but that's all Tseng needed. His heart racing in anticipation, the Turk leader secured his phone in his pocket then reached for the communication device at his ear.

"All teams, we have a go. Move in." Even as he spoke the words, Tseng realized something was wrong. The level of commotion around the building they were targeting had suddenly sky-rocketed. People were running, fleeing the building and the area.

"Dammit!" Tseng swore, "Move, move! Surround the building!" Somehow they'd figured out what was going on. Suddenly, Tseng went cold inside. _It couldn't be…Reno wouldn't…_ Tseng stared at the running figures all around, the events playing out before him like a movie. Shaking his head, he refused to even entertain the idea that Reno had betrayed them. There was no way the boy was a double-agent. _That would explain why he's so good at everything you tried to teach him_. The voice whispering in his head could not be banished. Setting his jaw grimly, Tseng moved in. One way or another, he was not letting this drug gang slip through his fingers once again.

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

Reno licked his dry lips, glancing around nervously. The place had erupted into chaos at the man's declaration. Reno didn't know what had gone wrong, but Tseng couldn't possibly have moved his forces in that quickly. The drug ring leaders were not stopping to ask questions however. They'd jumped up at once. A few more seconds, and all the work and planning would be for nothing. They'd get away. Reno had to do something, and he had milliseconds to come up with a plan. Taking a deep breath, Reno went with his instinct reaction.

"Nobody move!" The authority in his voice startled even him. Reno had pulled the loaded gun from his pocket faster than he could process his next move. Really all he needed to do was stall until Tseng could get a handle on the situation. And so far it was working. Everyone in the room had frozen, staring at the redhead with the gun aimed at them. The man who had recruited him was especially surprised. Reno couldn't focus on him at the moment. The man who seemed to be in charge was making a move.

"What are you doing?" the man's voice was calm, but there was a hard, calculating coldness behind it that couldn't be masked. The smile on his face was clearly faked as the man addressed Reno. Reno didn't answer. "This is a mistake. You know it is. Just put the gun down, and we can forgive this little episode. We'll all be laughing about this tomorrow."

Reno didn't move. He tried to keep his hands from shaking as they held the gun pointed at the man. A drop of nervous sweat rolled sluggishly down his temple. Still, he said nothing. _Come on, Tseng!_ Something must have betrayed his emotions, for the man's smile grew slightly cruel.

"You're not going to pull the trigger, are you?" the man suddenly raised his voice to a shout, "Are you?" Reno flinched, and it was the one mistake they'd been looking for. Time seemed to slow to a stand-still as gunshots thundered through the room. Though time seemed to have slowed, Reno couldn't move before the bullets tore into him. Reno stared with horror at the droplets of blood that splattered through the air in the split-second before the pain exploded through his torso. An icy shudder went through him as he gasped, his breath choking in his throat. The gun dropped from hands that fell limply to his sides. He heard none of the chaos around him. Not the gun clattering to the ground, or the shouting and running of the people in the room. All he heard was his own erratic heartbeat and blood rushing in his ears. He swayed, the room suddenly turning upside-down as he dropped to his knees, unable to keep standing. It didn't even consciously register when the rest of him hit the floor. Suddenly he was staring at the ceiling. It felt like he was walking in a dream world. Pressing a shaking hand to his abdomen, Reno then lifted it to within his gaze. His eyes widened at the ruby red blood that dripped off his hand. He didn't feel it when his hand fell to the ground again. A warm darkness seemed to rush up and engulf him, taking away any remaining links to the conscious world.

_Author's Note: You know I can't keep from hurting him for long. =P Poor Reno, having to live at my mercy! REVIEW IF YOU LIKE CAKE! =D I hope you guys enjoyed! I'm going to go ahead and get lost so I can keep writing...good grief, it's already time for me to sleep! Just looked at the clock...where does the time go? STUPID COLLEGE! LOL, I actually like it, I just wish I didn't have to get up so damn early...=( REVIEW IF YOU THINK CUPCAKES ARE AWESOME! My mind is on baking...can you tell? xD_


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: Surprise! I'm not dead!I know I promised to get back to updating...but college is hard! And it takes a lot of time! I promise not to stop writing, but I don't know if I can promise to update as frequently and as scheduled as I used to. I WILL NOT QUIT WRITING THOUGH! And that's really the important part. xD So here's an update...I was horrified when I realized I'd left you guys on such a terrible cliffhanger! The first paragraph is what happens at the end of the last chapter, so if you read it and have no idea what's going on, I suggest reviewing the end of the previous chapter. Otherwise, enjoy!_

"You're not going to pull the trigger, are you?" the man suddenly raised his voice to a shout, "Are you?" Reno flinched, and it was the one mistake they'd been looking for. Time seemed to slow to a stand-still as gunshots thundered through the room. Though time seemed to have slowed, Reno couldn't move before the bullets tore into him. Reno stared with horror at the droplets of blood that splattered through the air in the split-second before the pain exploded through his torso. An icy shudder went through him as he gasped, his breath choking in his throat. The gun dropped from hands that fell limply to his sides. He heard none of the chaos around him. Not the gun clattering to the ground, or the shouting and running of the people in the room. All he heard was his own erratic heartbeat and blood rushing in his ears. He swayed, the room suddenly turning upside-down as he dropped to his knees, unable to keep standing. It didn't even consciously register when the rest of him hit the floor. Suddenly he was staring at the ceiling. It felt like he was walking in a dream world. Pressing a shaking hand to his abdomen, Reno then lifted it to within his gaze. His eyes widened at the ruby red blood that dripped off his hand. He didn't feel it when his hand fell to the ground again. A warm darkness seemed to rush up and engulf him, taking away any remaining links to the conscious world.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Myka. Daniel. Talan," Tseng spoke urgently over the radio connecting them all, "Find Reno!"

"The little runt probably sold us out," Myka's mutter could easily be heard over the radio.

"Myka, can't you ever give him a break? Missions go wrong sometim- holy shit!" Daniel cut himself off mid-sentence, "Tseng, I found Reno." The tone of the man's voice signaled something was wrong at once.

"What, what is it?" Tseng demanded, checking the GPS device strapped to his wrist and heading as fast as he could for the got that represented Daniel.

"He's…he's been shot. Damn," Daniel muttered curses under his breath, "Uh, ok, he's unconscious, I think, but he's breathing…sort of." Tseng swore silently.

"Ok, stay there, I'm coming."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno felt like he was floating. Floating somewhere soft and warm. Something was bothering him, like the knowledge that something was wrong but you can't remember what. He didn't care though, this place was so nice…but what was that annoying persistent sound? He wanted it to go away, leave him alone to drift in this painless place. As the sound began to become clearer, Reno became aware of something else. It felt like his whole abdomen was on fire, pounding and throbbing with every wave of pain that washed over him. With a gasp, the voices calling his name and the pain jerked him roughly back to consciousness, although a foggy version of it.

"His eyes are open!" Daniel was leaning over him anxiously, and Tseng came quickly into view, concerned expressions on both their faces.

"Reno? Reno, can you hear me?" Tseng stared down at him, the worried frown on his face making the redhead nervous, "What happened?" Reno knew Tseng was talking to him, but it took awhile for him to understand the meaning of the words. He glanced towards the man, gesturing clumsily with his hands and attempting to open his mouth and explain. Instead of words, Reno only managed a fit of coughing that produced a fair amount of blood and unbelievable pain through his torso. He squeezed his eyes shut and sucked in a shaky breath, laying his head back down on the cold floor.

"Dammit," Tseng observed the blood Reno had coughed up, "He's probably got a pierced lung. We need to get him out of here now. Try and keep him conscious." Tseng stepped back, speaking hurriedly into his radio.

Reno just looked back at the ceiling. He wanted to be back in that place where he hadn't felt the pain that now racked his whole body. Every breath he struggled for only caused him to hurt more, and the slightest movements sent waves of stabbing pain radiating throughout his torso. He closed his eyes and sighed softly, trying to avoid adding to the spasms already tearing through him. He started to feel as though slowly falling, while that warm darkness swirled up around him, ready to take him back.

"Uh, Tseng?" Daniel held his hand up in front of Reno's mouth, "I don't think he's breathing…" Tseng turned around abruptly, coming back to kneel next to the young man laying in a pool of his own blood.

"You're all a bunch of pansies," Myka commented sharply, pushing both men out of the way and kneeling over Reno, "Reno!" She shook his shoulders lightly, but it was enough to get a groan out of him. "Wake up. You're being ridiculous. We've all gone through much worse and walked ourselves home. The least you can do is stay conscious!" Myka frowned at him seriously until he opened his eyes, blinking them foggily but focusing on her face. "I knew you weren't Turk material." Shaking her head, Myka moved back several paces, turning her back on the redhead.

"Care to inform me of these times we've gone through much worse and not been unconscious?" Talan raised an eyebrow as he spoke quietly, "Because I certainly don't recall these events."

"Oh, please," Myka looked at him scornfully, "I made that up. Now he thinks I think he's a pathetic wimp. He'll try and prove me wrong."

"Not bad," Talan nodded, glancing over at Reno who was staring stubbornly at the ceiling, keeping his breaths shallow to minimize the pain.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Was the mission successful, Tseng?" the President regarded the man before him coolly, his expression showing that he knew exactly how the mission went, but wanted Tseng to tell him.

"Not entirely," Tseng swallowed nervously, pulling at his collar.

"Not entirely," the President repeated his words with vicious precision, "Tell me, Tseng…what happened? You've been working on this for weeks, months even, no?" The man crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. Despite the gravity of the situation and his concern for Reno that was already distracting him, Tseng had to wonder if the head of Shinra ever left this exquisitely decorated office. The man was clad in a spotless suit, and hadn't the faintest trace of tiredness about him, even though it was about one o'clock in the morning.

"We're not sure what happened, actually," Tseng said quietly, knowing the answer would not satisfy, "We were operating with a large team and whenever you increase the numbers that also increases the chances of detection. They must have spotted something suspicious and gotten spooked. I would like to point out that even though it did not all go as planned, we still accomplished our goal." _Sort of…_

"Ah, so everything's fine then, right?" the sarcastic tone denied the words spoken.

"I believe it will be, sir," Tseng responded, beginning to regain his confidence, "Even though our targets attempted to flee, the majority of them were either captured or regrettably lost during the struggle. It is unlikely that the few remaining individuals will be able to re-establish their organization, and certainly not at the previous level." The President simply nodded, refusing to show approval or disapproval. Tseng sighed internally. Knowing whether the President was satisfied or not was something he could wait on. He had more pressing matters on hand… "Sir, if you don't mind, one of my team was severely injured on the mission and I would like go to the infirmary if we are through for now."

"Yes, feel free to go," the President nodded, "But Tseng…you'd better be right that these remaining few won't be a problem."

**!#$%^&*&^%$!**

"How's he doing?" Tseng questioned, approaching the three other Turks who were sitting in the small waiting room on the infirmary floor. Honestly, Tseng was pleasantly surprised to see Talan and Myka still here. Daniel had quickly befriended the young Turk, but it was no secret that Myka was merely annoyed by Reno's presence, and Talan…Talan just wasn't much of a people-person.

"Don't really know," Daniel answered, an anxious look on his face, "Doctor took him into emergency surgery awhile ago to remove the bullets and try and stop the internal bleeding. Said something about a pierced lung." Daniel shrugged and rubbed his tired eyes.

"Apparently it's mostly a blood-loss thing at this point," Myka spoke up, careful to insert a casual yawn, "The kid was practically swimming in blood by the time we got him out of there. How are _you?_ I see the President didn't eat you alive."

"Not yet anyway," Tseng responded, sinking into a chair wearily, "He's not happy, but I'm not sure if my assurance that we've achieved the same result as if everything had gone according to plan did much good."

"Tseng, does Reno have any family?" Talan asked quietly, the only one who showed no signs of being tired.

"No, not that he told me of at least. Why?"

"He kept muttering things about an Elena. Obviously, he was mostly unconscious but she must be important to cause him to continue to speak about her like that."

"As far as I know, he has no family living whatsoever. This may be a friend that he didn't see a point in mentioning to me," Tseng shrugged.

"It just feels wrong for him to be in there without any friends or family waiting for him," Daniel commented.

"Well then what the hell are we here for?" Myka protested, "I don't know about you, but I was hanging out here instead of at home in bed because I felt bad about leaving the kid all by himself in a hospital after getting shot three times in the chest!"

"Technically, only one bullet hit him in the chest," Talan commented, "The other two would be considered in more of an abdominal area."

"Oh, shut up!" Myka made a face at him, "No one asked you."

"Children, please," Tseng pinched the bridge of his nose, his condescending comment quickly silencing the Turks, "How long did the doctor say they would be in surgery?"

"He didn't," Talan commented, apparently not caring to elaborate since he offered no further information.

"As long as it takes," Daniel shrugged, somehow managing to still appear energetic through his anxiety.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena sat on her bed, arms wrapped around her knees that were pulled up to her chest. She glanced at the clock, which told her she was up far too late. Her frown deepened as she glanced back towards the open window. It was getting cold but she refused to close it. Biting her lip, Elena slowly climbed under the covers, deciding she might as well go to sleep. Still, she left the window open and the lamp on.

"Where are you, Reno?" she muttered. He hadn't mentioned being unable to come and he hadn't shown up at all that day. She breathed a silent prayer that he was ok. Struggling in vain against sleep, Elena drifted off while staring at an open window that never showed the one person she really cared about and listening to the one person she truly hated shouting at one of his prostitutes in a drunken rage.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno became aware of voices before he even realized his eyes were closed. Something inside of him was startled by this fact, and tried to convince his body to jump up and figure out what was wrong. The rest of his mind was moving sluggishly though, and honestly he just wasn't feeling very concerned with his surroundings, whatever they may be.

"We managed to stop the internal bleeding, but he's lost massive amounts of blood. For the most part no serious damage was done except for a pierced lung. That should heal up just fine though, and we'll be keeping him here long enough to keep an eye on that one," one voice commented. _Somebody's really screwed up…_Reno thought, wondering who was hurt.

"But he'll be ok?" another voice asked. _Wait, I know that voice!_ Reno opened his eyes, slowly, blinking lethargically to bring everything into focus. Again, the warning inside him spoke up at his unfamiliar surroundings, but Reno couldn't bring himself to really care.

"I don't know," the first voice said after a long pause, "He could go either way right now." The room suddenly came into focus and Reno saw Tseng speaking with a doctor. It all came back to him then. He remembered blood and pain, the other Turks all looking at him anxiously, a place so full of white if only made the blood stand out more, and more pain.

"Oh, shit," Reno's voice surprised even him. It was weak, hardly more than a mumbled whisper, and raspy. Just speaking was enough to make him cough, flecks of blood staining his lips when he did. The cough awakened the slumbering pain in his abdomen. He winced and reflexively curled up and rolled onto his side with a groan, hugging himself and trying to hold back the coughs that hurt so much. He ended up somewhere halfway between breathing and coughing, air entering and leaving his lungs in quick wheezes. Reno had squeezed his eyes shut again, but he heard everyone in the room rush over and multiple pairs of hands were on him almost at once, turning him onto his back and forcing him to lie flat.

When his muscles relaxed, the pain began to subside, leaving a burning ache behind. His shaky breaths were punctuated by coughs that produced more blood and wincing. As he struggled to quit coughing, a cool hand brushed over his hot forehead, smoothing the sweaty strands of hair back. The touch was soothing, and Reno found himself imagining Elena standing there comforting him. When he'd steadied his breathing, the redhead opened his eyes again and was disappointed to find, not Elena, but a nurse looking down at him with concern. She smiled when he opened his eyes and, giving him a final gentle touch, moved on about the room to other things.

"What happened?" Reno questioned very quietly, looking up at all the Turks that stood around the hospital bed.

"You were shot," Daniel offered, "Three times."

"Yeah, I noticed," Reno glanced at the man sarcastically, "I was sort of wondering what went wrong…"

"I was hoping you could us that," Tseng answered, "You weren't supposed to confront them."

"They found out somehow, they were gettin' away," he said, "I had to do somethin'."

"So you decided pulling a gun on a room of armed men was a good idea?"

"Well, it worked didn't it?" Reno grinned, "Ya got 'em, right?"

"Well…yes, but…" Tseng looked completely perplexed, "You never should have done that. Your orders were to give us the signal and then stay out of the way."

"I don't get why you're so upset," Reno was starting to look frustrated despite the painkillers that were keeping him calm, "If I hadn't done anythin', they would have all gotten away. No one but me got hurt because of it."

"And you wouldn't have gotten hurt if you had followed my orders," Tseng replied.

"We would have failed our mission," the redhead shot back quickly, crossing his arms across his bare and bandaged chest gingerly.

"Don't ever disobey orders," Tseng had no real answer for that.

"Who's Elena?" Daniel interjected, changing the subject before things got messy.

"What?" Reno looked sharply at Daniel, stalling for time. No one missed the suddenly guarded look that appeared on his face.

"While you were…out of it, you kept mentioning someone called Elena," Daniel went on, simply amused by Reno's reaction, "We were just wondering who she is."

"No one. She's no one," Reno answered, failing to have a better reply. It was a pathetic lie, but it was the best he could do with his mind as foggy as it was. He was tired, so unbelievably tired. Daniel looked like he might press further into the whole Elena matter, but dropped it when the doctor gave him a stern look.

"Ok, time to leave my patient alone," the man motioned firmly towards the door, "He needs to rest if he's going to get better. I'll let you know if there's any change."

"Rest. Good idea," Reno murmured, the dose of painkiller the nurse had just injected making him doze off. The other Turks allowed themselves to be kicked out of the room while Reno fell asleep almost instantly.

"I think Reno's got a girlfriend," Daniel announced, an excited grin appearing on his face, "I think that's who Elena is."

"Wow, that's an impressive deduction," the sarcasm in Myka's voice couldn't fail to be noticed, "I really had no idea who the girl he kept talking about was." She rolled her eyes, taking off at a clipped pace down the hall, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going home to sleep. And that's because I've been up for about thirty-six straight hours now, if you couldn't figure it out, genius."

"She's a bitch," Daniel commented, watching her walk away.

"Yeah," Tseng agreed calmly and Talan just nodded.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena woke up shivering. She didn't have to open her eyes to realize that the window was still open. So Reno had never shown up. He would have closed it, even if he'd shown up and she was asleep. Because Reno would have known the window would let cold air in all night, and he wouldn't have wanted her to be cold. Somehow this knowledge made her warm inside, even though her skin had little cold bumps all over it.

"Rise and shine, sweetheart." Instantly all comforting feelings abandoned her, leaving nothing but a cold pit in her stomach, filled with fear. She lurched up, and found herself sitting on the bed facing her father who sneered down at her. Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest. "You forgot to make breakfast."

_So that's what he's doing here._ That answered one question. Elena was so terrified she could hardly respond. He'd never actually come into her room after her before and she didn't know what to expect. She glanced at the clock. _Shit!_

"I…I…I forgot to set my alarm clock," she spoke an a barely audible voice, too scared to make eye contact. She hadn't been prepared for this. He'd completely surprised her.

"You forgot?" Her father grabbed her shoulder with an iron grip, jerking her up to eye level, "You forgot your duties to your father? Well guess what? I forgot to feed you today! Don't even bother to come out of here until I say you can." Tossing her back down, the man stormed out of the room, slamming it behind him.

Elena's bottom lip trembled, her eyes welling up with tears as she rubbed her shoulder. She scooted back to the head of her bed and slid under the covers, pulling them up over her head. It was as close as she could get to feeling safe, and even then she feared her father would come back and any moment. Elena cried softly under the blankets, listening carefully in case she heard Reno finally making an appearance through her window.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno tapped his finger restlessly on his leg. He glanced at the IV stuck in his arm, the little device on his finger that apparently monitored his heart-rate, and the crisp white bandages taped over his torso in three spots, covering the bullet holes. Experimentally, he carefully placed a hand over one of the bandages and pressed down. He winced, pulling his hand back quickly.

"Yeah, ok, not fun," he muttered to himself, trying to ignore the pain. He'd refused another dose of painkiller from the nurse because it made his head too fuzzy. He'd lied and told her he wasn't in pain, and furthermore, told her he wanted to go home. She had smiled kind of funny and immediately gone off in search of the doctor.

"Feeling better?" the doctor smiled cheerily when he entered, but Reno caught a bit of a condescending look on the man's face.

"Yup, and I want to go home now," Reno answered firmly. He needed to get out of their sight so he could go to Elena and explain why he hadn't shown up for so long. She must be worrying.

"Do you," the doctor mused, approaching quickly, "Well, here then, let me take this off," the doctor pulled the little heart-rate device off Reno's finger, "Now get up and walk to the door." The doctor stood back with an expectant look on his face.

"What about this?" Reno gestured to the IV.

"Don't worry," the man replied, "The pole that's attached to can be rolled. The nurse will take care of that." Reno gave the man one last suspicious glance before he went about performing this seemingly simple task. _Oh, damn._ Bright lights exploded in his vision as he pulled himself upright, the torn skin and muscles shrieking at the motion. He simply clenched his teeth and swung his legs over the side of the bed, appreciating for once how often the abdominal muscles were used to move your body. The whole room seemed to spin as he stood slowly, his bare feet touching the cold floor. He tipped forward slightly, but steadied himself with a hand on the bed when he noticed the nurse look hesitantly at the doctor, who was simply looking on with something of a smirk. Reno made it about three steps that were more like limps before the pain throbbing through his torso and the burning in his lung made him pass out. As his vision flickered to black and the floor rose up quickly to greet him, the doctor came back into view, catching Reno before he collapsed.

"Didn't think so," the man said quietly, looking to the nurse, "Turks are too stubborn for their own good."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena sighed, tossing her pencil down on the desk and rubbing her temples. She'd crawled out of bed and gotten dressed a several hours ago. As long as she was locked in her room, she figured she might as well spend the time doing homework. Her stomach was starting to growl noisily though, and it was getting more and more distracting. She glanced at the clock. It was already evening, and she hadn't eaten in a long time now. On the bright side, her father hadn't so much as made a sound since he'd stormed out this morning. She was troubled by his behavior, for more than just the obvious reasons. Usually he was predictable. She knew what to expect. But today, he'd done something completely new. Who knew what was in store for her if he kept being so inventive?

Biting her lip, Elena stared at the closed door, an idea formulating in her mind. What if…he would never notice, right? She made the decision in a split-second, jumping up and grabbing a few things before crawling out the window as quietly as she could. He hadn't checked on her all day, so why would he start now? And she had to have something to eat. Her stomach growled angrily again, as if to emphasis the point. She'd be back before he even noticed she was gone.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Disobedient scum!" Elena squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for the blow that, sure enough, followed swiftly. She wished she'd never even considered sneaking out. It was stupid to think it would have worked. Her father had been waiting for her when she got back, and now she was paying the price. As the man hit her again, she wondered if it was possible to get more miserable than she was.

"What, you didn't like the punishment I gave you?" the man spoke with mock kindness, "Well, why didn't you just say so? Fine, if you don't want to do what I told you the first time, maybe I'll just have to go with a different punishment!" He grabbed her arm roughly, dragging her along with him out the door and down the hall. Elena started to panic. _What the hell is he doing now?_ "Maybe you'll appreciate the privileges I give you once you've experienced what I could have you doing." The man shoved her into the front room, a room she'd spent years strategically avoiding.

The front room was big, really the size of two rooms, with a bar built in along one wall. The place was decorating cheaply, and filled with smoke. When all the furnishings were new, it looked trashy and fake, and now that everything was in shambles, well, it only looked worse. The place was packed with way more bodies than should be in a place that size, most of them overweight, nasty, old men whose dirty, groping fingers were constantly reaching for either another cheap drink or to rub on the mostly exposed skin of the prostitutes in the room.

Elena thought her heart was going to beat right out of her chest. Thrown into the middle of the mass of people without any warning, she was frozen, unable to turn and run or just stand there and throw up, both of which she wanted to do very much. No one even noticed how out of place she seemed, the young girl looking like a spooked rabbit. Elena's throat was too tight for her even to utter a sound when an unwelcome hand reaching out to grab her butt. She jumped back quickly, only succeeding in landing herself nearby many more eager hands. Elena began to tremble, tears falling silently down her face. She almost couldn't believe it was happening, but the growing number of groping hands moving all over her body refused to let her believe that.

"Elena! What are you doing?" the woman who'd caused the scene by bursting into her room while Reno was there finally noticed the girl. She grabbed Elena's shoulders and steered her out of the room, giving her a gentle push down the hall. "Go back to your room, sweetie. You shouldn't come up here." The woman scolded her gently, not understanding why Elena had been there, but Elena didn't hang around to correct her. She couldn't get back to her room fast enough. Locking the door behind her with shaking hands, Elena pulled her blanket from the bed, wrapping it around her as she curled up beneath the open window. She couldn't manage to stop trembling, and her stomach noisily reminded her that she was still very hungry.

Elena decided that this was the worst day of her life so far. She hoped that was a record she wouldn't break.

"Reno…" the tears started to drip off her nose as she whispered to the dark night outside the window, "Where are you?"

**!$#%^&*&^%$#!**

"Rest. Take it easy. Be careful. Don't push yourself," Tseng was staring at Reno sternly, "Somehow I don't think you understand any of these." Reno was rolling his eyes, motioning for Tseng to hurry it up. He'd been stuck for several days in the infirmary, neither the doctor nor Tseng willing to let him go. They'd finally discharged him, but Tseng was trying to ensure Reno wouldn't hurt himself again through negligence.

"I get it, now can I go?" Reno pleading in a whining tone.

"Yes," Tseng muttered very quietly, rather begrudgingly, "But I'd still feel more comfortable if you'd let one of us take you home." Reno shook his head.

"I can take care of myself, Tseng," Reno pointed out, "I've done it for years and I'm still alive."

"Barely," Tseng commented dryly.

"Only since I stared hanging out with you," the redhead pointed out.

"Fine, go by yourself, but please, please walk slowly and stop to rest if you get tired. I don't want to have to go out searching the streets for you because you collapsed on your way home," Tseng sighed. Reno was out of the chair before Tseng finished talking, ready to abandon the office instantly. He made a show of walking with exaggerated care to the door.

"See ya tomorrow, boss-man," he grinned, mock saluting as he left.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno was much more tired than he usually would have been by the time he arrived underneath Elena's window. _I guess gettin' shot really take it outta ya._ He was surprised to find the window closed, but even more surprised by the speed with which Elena responded when he knocked lightly on the glass. It was thrown open almost instantly and she leaned out to throw her arms around his neck.

"Hey," Reno was a little startled, "Guess ya missed me."

"Where have you been?" Elena demanded, pulling herself the rest of the way out the window and pushing him to arm's length to give him a stern look before hugging him again.

"Oh, you know," Reno struggled to find words to explain without telling her too much, but his attention was preoccupied with the sudden show of affection, "Gettin' my ass kicked…ow, careful." He winced when she hugged too tightly. Immediately releasing him and taking a step back, Elena looked up at him quizzically.

"What happened? Are you ok?" she looked up at him with concern, unbelievably happy to see him again.

"Funny story actually," Reno laughed nervously, wondering what the hell he was going to tell her since she still didn't know about his involvement with Shinra, "I sort of, um, got shot. How've you been?"

"You _what?_" Elena's jaw dropped, "How?" Reno hesitated.

"I need to tell you somethin'," he said.

"Yeah, you need to tell me how the hell you managed to get yourself shot! Please tell me it was some kind of accident."

"No…it was pretty deliberate. All three times."

"You have some serious explaining to do," Elena commented, "Tell me if I hurt you." She hugged him very softly, partly to hide her face as she bit her lip and tried to keep from crying. She felt terrible for being upset with him for not coming for days. She should have known it was something serious. As much as she wanted to curl up and let him hold her while she cried and told him about what had happened to her while he was gone, she decided not to even tell him. It would only make him feel bad for not being there, and he'd already been through enough.

"Ya know Shinra?" Reno began.

"…and they finally let me go today," he finished his brief but truthful story several minutes later.

"The Turks, Reno?" Elena's arms were crossed awkwardly over her chest, like they always were when she was uncomfortable with something. The redhead nodded. "But…it's so dangerous. Everyone's heard stories about the Turks…" Reno shrugged.

"Just stories, Elena, don't worry about it," Reno shrugged, although he too had been wondering in the back of his mind if the stories were true. Everyone knew about the Turks. Renowned for killing first and asking questions later. They were supposed to be Shinra's elite, doing the jobs too hard or too sensitive for any other group to accomplish. They were above the law too, and the combination bred some pretty awful scenarios. Whether or not there was any truth to the rumors whispered in the streets, Reno had yet to find out. He highly doubted anyone was going to be telling him about the company's biggest cover-ups anytime soon though.

"Hey, I wanna show ya somethin'," Reno casually tossed an arm around Elena's shoulders, steering her out of the alley.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena drew in a sharp breath, clasping her hands together in pleasant surprise. She'd been hesitant when their path took them above the Plate, but she trusted Reno and now she was glad she had.

"Trees…" she breathed, sparkling eyes taking in the sight before her, illuminated by the warm golden rays of the setting sun, "And grass…and flowers." She took a careful step foreword, putting her foot down almost reverently in the midst of the lush green blades.

Reno watched her child-like joy with a grin. He'd passed by this little park, almost lost in the middle of Midgar, and decided to take her there. Of course, getting shot had interfered with his plans, but he'd finally gotten around to it. Tired from all the walking, Reno stretched out on the grass, watching Elena as she gushed about the little bit of nature. He'd never admit it out loud, but Reno realized Tseng had been right when he'd said the redhead should stay in the infirmary longer. He was exhausted and his chest was aching. Reno rubbed the spot gently, trying to ease the pain but he was too preoccupied with Elena to notice much.

"This is gorgeous!" the girl collapsed on the ground next to him, running her fingers through the grass happily.

"Thought you might like it," Reno smiled, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth of the sunlight. Elena didn't reply, but her fingertips brushed delicately over his cheekbone, resting over the scar. When Reno opened his eyes and looked at her, she drew her hand back and stared at the grass, suddenly embarrassed.

"Those cuts healed," she observed, trying to make the situation less awkward.

"Left a hell of a pair of scars though."

"I guess you're stuck with those," she nodded, glancing at the reddened lines, "It doesn't look bad though." Elena appeared to only be making herself feel more awkward. "So, where exactly were you shot then?" She tried to make conversation. Reno smirked internally, unable to resist messing with her, especially when she was already making herself uncomfortable.

"Here….here," Reno had reached over to pick up her hand and pressed it down gently over each spot, "And here." He left her hand resting over the wound in his chest, the closest to his heart. After a few seconds, Elena withdrew her hand with unusual speed.

"Oh," she said. Reno grinned, observing the slight flush of color that came to her cheeks, but was surprised by a little flutter in his heart, as thought it had skipped a beat. _Probably from gettin' shot._ Reno wrote it off quickly, refusing to pay anymore attention to the reaction.

The two laid side-by-side in silence, staring up at the sky until stars littered the black expanse. Reno shivered, his recovering body unable to keep him warm in the chilly night air. The movement didn't escape Elena's notice.

"Let's go back," she let out a satisfied sigh, "It's late and you need to rest."

"I'll take you back here soon," Reno promised, getting to his feet a bit clumsily as he tried to avoid straining any of his healing muscles. He kept her close during the walk back to her house. After dark under the Plate wasn't exactly one of the best times to be out, not like it was much better during the day.

Elena climbed in through her window, her evening free of worry over as she glanced around the room quickly, afraid her father might be there. The coast was clear however, and it was a good thing because Reno followed her in within seconds.

"I like what you've done with the place," Reno smirked, observing the mess she'd let her room fall into.

"Yeah…I need to clean up," Elena smiled apologetically although Reno obviously didn't care. He kicked back on her bed, and she could tell he was worn out from their excursion. She let him rest while she cleaned up. She'd let her things get messy over the past several days. She'd been so distraught between her father's latest punishment and Reno's disappearance that she hadn't thought much about cleaning. All was well with the world again in her eyes now though.

When she finished, Elena turned around to face the redhead who hadn't spoken a word since they'd arrived. He appeared to be asleep. Elena moved closer, quietly.

"Reno?" she asked softly. No reply. His chest rose and fell in the rhythm of sleeping breaths. He was fast asleep. Elena smiled. She was glad to see him ok and resting. She hadn't the heart to wake him. Moving to the corner his head was turned away from, Elena changed into her pajamas, trying very hard to make as little noise as possible. Grabbing an extra blanket from the end of her bed, Elena placed it over him carefully before crawling under the covers on the other side of the bed. She had her back to him, but was still acutely aware of his presence. Reaching up to turn off the lamp, Elena sighed, wondering if she would get any sleep that night.

_Author's Note: So there we go. Lots of stuff happens. And lots of stuff will happen! We're only just getting started! My only problem is coming up with stuff to balance out the dramatic, people-getting-hurt bits with normal life bits. LOL. Anyway, please review! Although I probably don't deserve it what with my spotty schedule of updating! Sorry guys!_


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note: HEEEEEEY guys! First of all, DON'T KILL ME FOR TAKING SO LONG TO UPDATE! Trust me, I'm punishing myself. *kicks self in leg* BAD RENOLUVVER! BAD, BAD, BAD! See? Punished. =) Actually, what happened is that I didn't realize how much I'd actually written since my last update. I kept thinking I didn't have enough to update until I realized I actually had a lot of writing. =P So...sorry for that. Things are moving right along here, so be prepared for a pretty interesting chapter! (at least I think so...) In other news, I'm about 95% sure that my professors are all plotting to kill me through exhaustion. o_O I mean SERIOUSLY! What professor assigns two MASSIVE papers due WITHIN ONE WEEK? This is the same class! I'm like...this isn't even an english class! (that's my native language by the way...USA. just in case that comment confused anyone. =P) It's a PSYCHOLOGY class. And we have to write so many papers. This is stupid. Enough rant. =) I'm sure you'd all rather read! PLEASE REVIEW! It's good to know you guys still love me even if I'm TERRIBLE at keeping in touch with you guys right now. =( I promise to be better about it, ok? Love you all! *hugs*_

Reno shifted sleepily, willing himself to stop waking up. He was remarkably comfortable and didn't think he'd slept better in a long time. Keeping his eyes closed in the hopes that he'd go back to sleep, Reno rolled over, one arm landing on something. _That's strange._ The number of suspiciously different things were coming slowly to his not completely awake mind. Reno cracked an eye open, and was jolted awake, although he didn't move. _Elena?_ His arm had fallen over the girl who was still asleep with her back turned towards him. The last thing Reno remembered was resting his eyes just for a minute while Elena cleaned up. _Why didn't she just wake me up?_

Contemplating what to do, Reno tried to stay very still and quit to keep from waking the girl. Finally, he decided to slip away before she woke up. That would be the least awkward choice. Slowly lifting his arm, Reno slid carefully to the other side of the bed. The moment he moved, she shifted. Stretching, Elena rolled over and appeared not the least bit surprised to see him.

"Uh, good morning," Reno grinned, "You could have woken me up, you know. I wasn't gonna bite your head off or anythin'."

"Well, you were so tired," Elena explained, not meeting his eyes as her face turned slightly pink, "You needed the rest so…"

"Thanks," Reno laughed to himself observing her embarrassment, "I feel very rested. I have to go to work now though. They'll freak out if I don't show up right on time. They didn't want me to leave at all yesterday."

"Ok. Don't do anything dangerous." The worry was clear on Elena's face.

"I'll see you tonight, I promise," Reno grinned, slipping out the window only slightly less graceful than usual because of his damaged muscles.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Guess who's still alive?" Reno greeted Tseng sarcastically, "See, I don't drop dead the moment I leave your sight."

"Good morning to you too," Tseng replied, turning from a file to give Reno a slight smile, "You need to stop by the infirmary so they can check-up on you, and then come back here to discuss your future with the Turks. Don't worry, we're not getting rid of you."

After suffering through a trip to the infirmary where the doctor made it very clear that he disapproved of Reno's level of activity on the previous day, Reno returned to Tseng's office as he had been told.

"You may have picked up on the fact that most of our new recruits don't start like you did," Tseng began, "So things may seem a little slow for awhile. You'll be doing more training of course since we only went over the basics previously, but you will also accompany the others on missions. Normally our new members don't go on missions for several months, but you've already started, so why stop now? We are kept rather busy, but not everything we do is as…exciting as what you just experienced. Most of our work is simply keeping an eye on possible threats and keeping those threats in line. Don Corneo, for example, requires frequent visits to remind him not to challenge Shinra."

Reno nodded his understanding. _Sounds pretty tame. Not nearly as bad as the stories._

"So what should I do now?" he questioned.

"Daniel will go over more firearms today. We sometimes require a wide range of weapons and it is vitally important that you are familiar with all of them," Tseng's expression displayed slight traces of awe and bewilderment, "Although you seem to already possess…remarkable accuracy. Anyway, this sort of training shouldn't cause you any pain. I don't think you're up to actually sparring yet. Don't worry, we have a great deal of other things to teach you. Like paperwork. And computer-hacking."

"Now _that_ sounds fun," Reno grinned, already getting ideas for pranks to pull on Myka.

"You'll get to it soon enough," the man replied, "Now go find Daniel and get to work."

Reno mock saluted and headed out the door in the direction of the Turks' lounge where he knew he'd find Daniel. The real trick was going to be prying him away from his precious video games. He passed two men as he walked, glancing at them briefly in passing. Ice flooded his veins as he recognized them and he unconsciously rubbed one of the scars running along his cheekbone as he hurried out of their sight and into the Turks' lounge. Pausing out of sight in the doorway, Reno listened but it didn't appear that they had noticed him at all. He let his held breath out in relief. The two men were the members of SOLDIER that had captured and tortured him during his first encounter with Shinra.

"What the hell are you doing?" Myka asked, giving him a stare that clearly showed she thought he was insane. Reno's attention was jerked away and he realized he was standing frozen in the door way breathing heavily, still unconsciously rubbing the scar on his face.

"Uh….nothing," Reno answered absently, thrown off by the encounter, "Just….coming to get Daniel."

"What for?" Daniel questioned, not unkindly, his eyes still glued to the screen of the flat-screen TV.

"Gotta go through more guns," Reno explained basically, trying to collect himself.

"Sweet," Daniel remarked, leaving his game easily only because he was going to shoot real guns, "As if you need it thought." The man had never gotten over Reno's impressive accuracy.

Myka watched Reno with narrowed eyes until he left. He was behaving strangely. Setting her murder-mystery novel down, she headed to Tseng's office to see what was up. She passed two SOLDIERS in the hall. There were always several patrolling each level of the building, although she felt it was unnecessary on the Turk floor.

"Tseng, what's up with Reno?" she got straight to the point as she entered and took a seat.

"What do you mean?" Tseng looked surprised, dropping the file in his hand onto the desk.

"He was acting strange just now."

"I just sent him over there and he was fine when I saw him," the man looked confused, "Did something happen?"

"Not that I know of," Myka shook her head, "He was acting weird when he walked in and there's no one around except the SOLDIER guard, so Hojo didn't show up and freak him out or anything." She laughed at the thought, but Tseng picked up on something she said.

"The SOLDIER guard? Would you recognize their faces if you saw them again?" Tseng questioned, already clicking away on his computer.

"Um, yes, but I don't see why it's important," she replied, frowning. Tseng turned the computer screen so she could see it. "Yeah, that's them. What…." She looked at Tseng for clarification.

"I didn't exactly just run into Reno by chance when I recruited him," Tseng began, lacing his fingers together and frowning, "I was looking for him. You may have heard about that issue with certain members of SOLDIER 'interrogating' a prisoner without authorization. They'd grabbed Reno off the street as part of our search for that drug ring, but I was unavailable at the time. They were supposed to wait until I returned, but they didn't. Apparently they thought the best method of extracting information was torture. Those two SOLDIERS from the hall tortured Reno all night for information he didn't have at the time. He escaped before I returned." Myka looked startled.

"So he was freaking out because of those guys?" she questioned, receiving a nod of affirmation from Tseng, "And he _escaped_ from Shinra?"

"Are you beginning to see why I hired him?" Tseng smiled dryly, "Anyway, I wouldn't mention the incident to him. Clearly it's affected him to some extent. I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, please see to it that the guard gets switched for this floor."

"I'm on it," Myka's constantly critical tone was absent as she left the office quietly.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Are ya sure this is what Tseng had in mind?" Reno questioned, laying on his back across a chair so that his head hung upside down over the edge. His crimson hair spilling onto the floor, Reno glanced suspiciously at Daniel who was busy at the computer that controlled the shooting range.

"Oh yeah, totally standard," Daniel replied absently, in a tone that was less than convincing, "Here, use this." The older Turk handed Reno the black pistol that was standard issue for the Turks. Reno gave him another suspicious glance but took the weapon and focused on the targets that were popping up in front of him…upside down. Like he'd been doing all day, the redhead hit them all, either dead center or very close to it.

"Hmm, interesting," Daniel commented, strumming his fingers on the keyboard while he thought, "Ok, let's try this. Get up." Reno just looked at him.

"You may have forgotten, but I was just shot like a week ago. My abs kind of hurt right now."

"Oh, right. Sorry, man," Daniel offered him a hand, pulling the redhead up, "Ok, close one eye and then shoot the targets." Appearing rather satisfied with this plan, the man walked back to the computer.

"Seriously? I'm having a hard time believing this is normal. What are you doing?" Reno looked at him like he was crazy.

"Dude, I'm trying to see if there's a scenario where you _can't_ hit your mark!"

"Tseng said I should be familiar with all the firearms we use….so if I already am, what are we still doing here?" Reno grinned.

"Got any better ideas?" Daniel asked hopefully.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I do," Reno smirked devilishly.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"What the hell does he want?" Myka muttered under her breath, glancing at the brief text from Daniel asking her to go to the Turks' lounge. Sighing exaggeratedly, she left her desk and jerked her door open, just in time to be hit in the face with two powerful streams of water. "What the hell?" she screamed, the cold water quickly soaking into her clothes and hair, "I'm going to _kill_ you two!" She caught sight of Daniel and Reno laughing hysterically from their position around the corner. They had the good sense to run and she chased them, fury fueling her sprint down the hall.

"What's happening?" Talan questioned, stepping out of his office as Reno and Daniel ran past.

"Nothing," Daniel answered, breathless from laughing and running, "Hey, do me a favor." The man grabbed Talan by the shoulders whirling him into the hall and pushing him straight into Myka's path as she rounded the corner too quickly to stop or slow down.

"What's happening?" Talan raised his voice for once, utterly bemused as Myka tossed him aside roughly with an infuriated huff. When she rounded the next corner, they were waiting for her. A howl of rage left her lips as they mercilessly sprayed her with water again. She pounced, narrowly missing Reno as he spun out of her reach, suddenly appearing behind her. As she turned and lunged, he dropped to the ground, evading her grasp and sliding across the floor, swinging a leg out to hit her in the back of the knees. As Myka hit the ground, both Daniel and Reno appeared in her line of vision, grinning down at her with water guns aimed at her head.

"Surrender and we might let you live," Daniel declared dramatically, grinning hugely.

"What? No! You bastards!"

"Wrong answer," Reno smirked as they both drenched her face again.

"Just stop it! This is so immature!" Myka protested

"Hey, what's going on?" a voice demanded authoritatively from down the hall. They all looked over and Reno felt a slight queasiness grip his insides. The SOLDIER guards had run into them while making their rounds. _Shit!_ Myka had no idea why the guard hadn't been switched yet, she'd been very clear those two were not to be on or near this floor again. Somebody somewhere was responsible for this and she'd track them down later. Right now, she had a more important message to send.

Hopping to her feet, Myka put an arm tightly around Daniel and Reno's necks, pulling them close in a way that appeared friendly, but caused them both significant discomfort.

"Nothing you need bother yourselves with," she stated coolly, "Turk business." The two men gulped uncomfortably. Nobody wanted to mess with the Turks, not even SOLDIER. One of the men narrowed his eyes on Reno quizzically for a moment.

"Isn't that…" he muttered aloud, drawing his partner's attention. Their eyes quickly took in the flaming red hair and the angry scars on Reno's cheekbones. They both paled. "We apologize for…for interfering in your…your Turk business," one of them stammered as they both backed away, barely refraining from all out running.

"Cowards," Myka muttered, tightening her grip on her two co-workers, "As for you two, well, since you obviously have so much time on your hands, I'm sure I can get Tseng to find something productive for you boys to do."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

The next few months for fairly uneventful for Reno. He spent his days in much the same way. He spent the morning and afternoon at Shinra, learning everything there was to know about being a Turk. He developed a hatred for paperwork quickly, preferring to spend that time exercising his mischievous side. The Turks suddenly found themselves plagued with plastic-wrapped doors that caused the unsuspecting victim to collide with the clear obstacle. Talan had the misfortune of ending up super-glued to his chair one day. On one occasion, the entire floor found all their pens replaced with crayons and colorful markers.

For all the trouble he caused, Reno was becoming a more and more valuable asset, despite the President's continued insistence that he was "disposable". Daniel went to great lengths proving that there was hardly any target Reno couldn't hit. He had become proficient with a great variety of weapons, although he quickly decided his preferred method was hand-to-hand combat. After an unfortunate incident involving multiple hacked email accounts among the company's highest ranking employees, Tseng was regretting showing the basics of hacking to the redhead. Apparently Reno had a knack for that too and was amusing himself by hacking anything and everything he could find. This had caused many expected problems, as well as one unexpected issue.

"You're not plannin' on killin' me off, right?" Reno had questioned suddenly one day. It came to light that Reno had somehow discovered the President's opinion of him, specifically his "disposable" status.

"No, of course not," Tseng had assured him, "The President is very hard to please and doesn't change his opinion easily. He'll realize what you're worth eventually."

When he was through harassing Shinra for the day, Reno would spend time with Elena. Usually, they went above the Plate to the little park she loved so much, but as the weather got colder they tended to stay inside more often. Every now and then Reno would find a bruise or two marring Elena's skin and it made his blood boil. He was at a loss as to what he could actually do about it however, and she became upset if he even attempted to bring it up, so he settled for simply being there with her. It seemed to cheer her up, even if the bruises were appearing more and more frequently of late.

"Do you ever think about what you're going to do with your life?" Reno asked Elena one day. He lay on his back on the floor, arms under his head while the girl did her homework.

"Are you asking me what I want to be when I grow up?" Elena grinned down at the redhead, more than happy for a distraction from her math homework.

"Basically….yeah."

"I want to be alive for one thing," Elena laughed mirthlessly, absentmindedly rubbing her shoulder. Reno's eyes narrowed, wondering what damage her father had done that he couldn't see. "I don't know, I guess I've never really thought about it. What about you?"

"Well this thing with Shinra seems pretty long term…" Reno's eyes stared thoughtfully at the ceiling, "I never really thought about it either. I spent most of my life concerning myself with getting to the next day."

"I suppose if I could be anything, I'd want to be a nurse," Elena reflected, "That way I could fix you up every time you got yourself in trouble." She smiled, poking his ribs with her toes teasingly. That irresistible smirk quickly appeared on the redhead's face as he grabbed her ankle firmly and tickled the bottom of her foot relentlessly, producing a shriek from Elena.

"Stop it!" she laughed, her breath coming short as she fell out of her chair into a tangled heap on top of Reno.

"Elena, are you ok?" a slightly alarmed looking woman rushed into the room, "I heard a thump and you screa…oh my, Roxanne was right!" The blonde's eyes went wide as she took in the sight before her.

"Why does this keep happening?" Elena wailed, untangling herself from Reno who couldn't help but laugh out loud, not looking embarrassed in the least.

"She told me she found you in here with some boy awhile ago, but I didn't believe her!" The woman had the good sense to close the door behind her, covering her surprised but amused smile with a perfectly manicured hand. "I guess that's what the screaming's about."

"No, no, no, NO!" Elena shook her head, waving her hands frantically, "He was tickling me and that's why I screamed…that's it."

"Right," the woman smiled knowingly, "Anyway, my name is Leia." She stretched a hand out to Reno, who took it cheerfully.

"Reno," he introduced himself, sitting up and casually throwing an arm over Elena's shoulders, "She's shy." The smirk on his face grew as Elena dived into another string of denials, only making Leia more sure of what she thought she'd seen. Obviously, Reno wasn't helping.

"Well that's why we all didn't believe it when Roxanne told us!" Leia smiled, "Don't be embarrassed, Elena, you did good! He's adorable!"

"I know!" Elena replied before she realized what she was saying. Her eyes going wide, she covered her reddened face with her hands and sat very still. Reno grinned upon hearing this, ducking his head for just a second in a tiny show of pleased embarrassment.

"Well, I'll get out of your way," Leia smiled, winking suggestively and backing towards the door. Fueling the woman's beliefs, Reno leaned over and kissed Elena on the cheek.

"Why would you do that in front of her?" Elena cast him a horrified look, "They have enough ideas already!"

"Should I have done that not in front of her?" Reno questioned, his charming smirk quickly demolishing any frustration she might have had with him.

"No," she replied weakly.

"Why not? I thought I was adorable!" Reno teased, causing a new wave of color to wash over the girl's face.

"I didn't mean to say that!"

"So I'm not adorable?" Reno demanded, refusing to let her off easy. Elena hesitated.

"Stop confusing me!" she protested, crossing her arms over her chest and turned her face away from him. Reno leaned a little closer, his gaze falling to her delicately pouting lips. His heart beat faster and a breath caught in his throat.

"I need to go," he found himself saying, hurriedly getting to his feet.

"Ok," Elena was a little surprised by the sudden announcement, but was used to him coming and going at strange times, "Don't get hurt." This had become her usual farewell, and the sincerity with which she said it could always be heard.

"See ya later," Reno smiled before dropping out the window. He was halfway to Shinra headquarters before he realized he had no reason for going back. Shrugging, he decided he might as well see if Tseng wanted him to do anything since he had nothing else to do. An image of Elena falling on top of him flashed through his mind and a bit of color flushed his pale face. Dropping his eyes to the ground he hesitantly allowed the image to linger, letting his imagination toy with it for a few seconds before furiously brushing it all away. He focused his attention on his surroundings again, refusing to use Elena like that. Still, it made him think. This hadn't been a problem when he first met the girl.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Permission to barge in, sir," Reno said sarcastically with exaggerated emphasis on "sir" as he walked into Tseng's office.

"Granted," Tseng replied dryly, looking up from a file on his desk in front of him, "I thought you'd gone home an hour or so ago. The others are all gone."

"I did go but then I came back. I was…bored. Got anything for me to do, boss-man?"

"Actually, its strange you should come back right now because I do have something for you to do," Tseng gestured to the file on his desk, "You won't be doing it alone but-"

A loud siren tore through the air suddenly, silencing the end of Tseng's sentence. Tseng's surprised stillness lasted less than a second. Grabbing his cell, he speed dialed a number, holding the phone to his ear with his shoulder leaving his hands free to quickly load his gun.

"What've we got?" he barked into the phone, listening for a few seconds and nodding as he turned to his computer, "Got it." Snapping the phone closed and dialing another number, Tseng watched as a security camera feed played on the computer screen. Reno watched with slightly alarmed curiosity as a door was blown open, the smoke partially obscuring two figures who ran through.

"We seem to have a bit of a situation, Mr. President," Tseng was speaking into the phone again, still using a commanding tone but a gentler version, "We're handling it and I expect the disturbance to be dealt with in just a few minutes, sir. Are you secure?" There was a pause. "Very well."

"So…what's happening?" Reno questioned casually as Tseng shoved his phone in his pocket and practically leapt for the door. Turning back as though he'd almost forgotten about the redhead, Tseng paused momentarily.

"We seem to have been invaded. The President says members of SOLDIER have already locked themselves in with him, so as long as he's secure I'm after our attackers. Just stay here," Tseng was gone before Reno could ask anymore questions. Something Tseng had said before he left caught the attention of Reno's mind, which was going a mile a minute. Leaning over the desk to reach Tseng's computer, Reno replayed the clip from the security cameras. His eyes widened.

"Oh, shit," he breathed, almost tripping over his own feet in his hurry to run out the door. _They're dressed as SOLDIER. Not a bad tactic actually. _Reno pushed himself to run faster and faster as he nearly flew up countless stairs. By the time he was running down the hall towards the President's office, he was moving with inhuman speed, but it still wasn't fast enough to satisfy him. Time and surprise were vitally important to have on his side right now. Digging through his pockets as he skidded to a stop before the impressive mahogany double doors, Reno rejoiced silently at his discovery of a paper clip. The lock took a bit longer than he had expected, but it _was_ the door to the President's office.

He glanced over his shoulder at the members of SOLDIER quickly bearing down on him. It was expected. After all, he'd just broken into the President's office during an attack. At least his hair was recognizable enough and they hadn't started shooting. _This is good. I'll need back-up. _Sprinting into the large room, Reno headed straight for one of the two SOLDIERS. He had tackled the man before the victim had time to look surprised. The second SOLDIER recovered quickly, aiming his machine gun at them quickly. Reno was prepared. He'd rolled over as soon as he hit the ground, grabbed the arm of the man he'd tackled, aiming the gun at the second man and firing first. Crying out at the same time, the second man fell to the ground, dropping his weapon and clutching his leg while the man already on the ground dropped his gun when Reno snapped his wrist.

The real members of SOLDIER had caught up by now and stared incredulous at the sight before them. They quickly moved in, keeping the intruders down. Reno stood up, dusting himself off and surveying his work expressionlessly. He was still feeling the adrenaline and it made him a bit shaky as his mind caught up to his actions. He caught sight of the President and his smirk appeared instantly. The older man's eyes were big as plates and he was still staring at the downed men in shock. One of the SOLDIERS placed a hand on Reno's shoulder.

"Not bad, kid! You ok?" Reno nodded as the President's gaze shifted up to land on the redhead.

"Yeah, don't worry about me," he grinned devilishly, "I'm disposable." He could have sworn all the blood left the President's face at those words and the man looked away, pulling at his collar uncomfortably.

"Reno!" Tseng rushed through the door way, gun still drawn, mouth hanging open, "What…what happened?"

"Sorry boss-man," Reno grinned, "I disobeyed orders again. Ya told me to stay in your office, but I…didn't." Tseng continued to stare open-mouthed.

"But," Tseng looked at the fake SOLDIERS being swiftly removed from the President's office, "How did you know?"

"I saw in the video that they were wearing SOLDIER uniforms," Reno shrugged, "It all just clicked from there. Create a distraction, get to the President, and then do whatever the hell ya want."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tseng asked, lowering his voice. The President's presence in the room was almost suffocating to the Turk leader.

"I had to watch it again to be sure," the redhead became defensive, "Besides, you seemed so sure of what you were doing."

"So this…boy did your job better than you, Tseng?" the President spoke coolly, trying to gain back some of his lost dignity after the situation. Tseng remained silent, staring hard at the wall for a moment.

"If I say 'yes'," Tseng spoke with uncharacteristic harshness, especially for speaking to the President, "Will you finally accept Reno as an official Turk?" The President had time only to huff condescendingly before several assistants rushed into the room to fulfill the man's every command in the wake of his "traumatizing experience". Tseng pushed Reno out of the room quickly. The elevator ride back to their floor was filled with a moody silence as Reno glanced cautiously at Tseng. He wasn't quite sure of the significance of the words traded between this man and the President, but he was hesitant to ask. Reno trailed Tseng back to the man's office.

"So….what was this assignment you were talking about?" Reno tried to pick the conversation up where they had left off before the sirens had blared. Reno couldn't even recall when said sirens had stopped their shrieks. Tseng just looked at him, incredulous for a moment, and then a small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

"Does nothing get you down?" he asked, laughing mirthlessly.

"Not much," Reno shrugged, "Its hard to let stuff bother you…growing up like I did."

"Of course," Tseng smiled awkwardly, shuffling some of the papers on his desk and clearing his throat, "About that mission. Its nothing much, a simple bit of recon. You'll be going with Daniel. Normally we only send one person on this kind of mission since its so simple, but you need someone to show you the ropes."

A man appeared hesitantly in the open doorway, waiting until Tseng acknowledged him before entering.

"A note for you, sir," the man said quickly, handing the folded paper to Tseng, "From the President." He retreated almost instantly, hurrying back to continuing paying his respects to his idol. Tseng looked surprised, opening it after a moment's pause. Reno wondered idly what it said. He hadn't ever seen Tseng receive a note from the President before, and he had no idea what it could be after the encounter he'd witnessed earlier.

"Finally, you…" Tseng let it hang, smirking triumphantly and tossing the paper onto his desk. From what Reno could see, it had a very small bit of writing and the President's signature on it. "I didn't tell you, Reno, but up until now you haven't really been an official Turk." Reno raised a questioning eyebrow. "I have liberty to hire someone on the spot, but its only temporary. For something as important as the Turks, it has to go to the President himself for approval. He's refused to approve you as an official hire until now. I guess the little stunt you pulled earlier finally convinced him that you're worth it."

"Oh," was all Reno had to say. He wasn't sure if there was anything he should say. Sometimes he felt like he'd stumbled into something much bigger than he thought with the Turks.

"The only changes you'll see are the full benefits that come with being a Turk, things like health insurance, a bit of a pay raise, and you'll be outfitted with a uniform tomorrow."

"Wait, hold up a second," Reno looked alarmed, "A uniform?"

"Yes," Tseng looked surprised, "Like what the rest of us wear all the time." Reno thought for a moment. Now that he actually thought about it, they did all wear the same thing everyday. Giving Tseng's uniform a quick glance over, Reno groaned.

"A suit?" he complained, "Seriously? With a tie!" This added offense was almost too much. "I'll look terrible in that!"

"We didn't hire you for your looks," Tseng commented dryly, "Its not as much of an issue as you seem to think."

"Yes it is!" Reno wasn't afraid to argue with his boss, "I'll look stupid!"

"You will not look stupid to people who know the Turk uniform," Tseng wasn't sure why he was still arguing. Usually he managed to end arguments much quicker. "You will look scary."

"I knew we'd agree," Reno sat back happily, a smirk gracing his lips.

"See? Its not that bad when- Wait, what?" Tseng frowned suddenly, "Reno! You will wear the Turk uniform because I said so and furthermore you will like it!"

"Ya can make me wear it but ya can't make me like it!" Reno came back quickly, dashing out of the room before Tseng could reply, "So HA!"

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"I have to wear a suit!" Reno rolled in through the window in a careless, clumsy yet graceful way, beginning to whine about this latest development almost instantly. When he'd gone into work that morning, Reno had been accosted by Tseng who insisted he change into the "appropriate attire". It took the threat of cutting his paycheck in half to get Reno to actually comply and even then he'd behaved the whole day as though the fabric was acidic and burning through his skin.

"What?" Elena had been curled up on her bed reading a book, but she quickly raised her head, an amused smile appearing on her face at his apparent anguish.

"A _suit!_" Reno continued to whine, crawling on his hands and knees over to her to add to the drama, "Like, with a tie and everything. It's _awful._" He'd left the offending clothing at his apartment, dropping it unceremoniously on the floor in a heap before turning right around to come see Elena.

Elena tried to keep a serious face but her attempt to take his complaints seriously was failing miserably. A smile quickly overcame her resistance and spread itself over her face as she imagined the redhead kneeling at the side of her bed and grabbing her ankle in his distress wearing a suit and a tie.

"It can't be _that_ bad," she encouraged, watching with amusement as he let his head collapse onto the blankets, shaking it mournfully.

"It _is_ that terrible!" he insisted, his voice muffled by the blankets. Elena patted his head consolingly.

"It could be worse," she added, having nothing else to offer.

"I guess," Reno replied sullenly.

"So, what should we do today?"

"Sleep? Had kind of an exciting night…" Reno briefly explained the previous evening's situation at Shinra headquarters, "And apparently I get to go on a super exciting surveillance mission tonight…so that will probably be late."

"I'm surprised someone actually made it into that building!" Elena liked hearing about the exciting things Reno did as a Turk, but at the same time it worried her thinking about the dangerous side. Sliding her fingers under his chin, she tilted his head up delicately, looking into his sleepy but still bright aquamarine eyes.

"You do look tired," she commented, scooting over and patting the bed next to her, "Take a nap and I'll keep reading my book."

"As long as you don't mind…" Reno rolled lazily onto the bed, letting his long legs hang over the edge.

"Why would I mind?" she smiled.

"I dunno," Reno shrugged, "As long as you don't." Laying on his back, Reno rested his head in Elena's lap, smirking up at her. "You already said you don't mind, so you can't kick me out now."

"Oh, well I'll just have to try and be as uncomfortable as possible," the girl teased.

"Go ahead, I happen to _love_ bony pillows," Reno shot back instantly.

"I'm not bony!" Elena protested, putting her hands on her hips.

"Don't get all defensive, I'm just teasin'," the redhead grinned at her indignation, "You're no scrawnier than I am."

"Ha, that's not saying much," she huffed, poking his ribs. Reno spit out his tongue.

"Shhh, I'm tryin' to sleep!" he protested, squeezing his eyes shut dramatically.

"You're just mad because I finally got the upper hand!" she whispered defiantly.

"Oh really?" Reno whispered back, not even opening his eyes, "Who's taking a nap in who's lap?" Elena blinked. He had a point.

"Crap! How come you always win?" she whispered, grinning anyway. Reno just smiled, still refusing to open his eyes.

Elena was wrapped up in her book once again, almost completely forgetting Reno even though he was still asleep with his head in her lap. He hadn't made a sound in thirty minutes except for the soft, even breaths of peaceful sleep. Drawn back to reality for a moment, Elena glanced down at the sleeping boy and was surprised to find herself gently stroking his long, blood-red hair. She softly swept the loose strands out of his face only to have them fall back. His chest rose and fell slightly. As lightly as she could, Elena traced one of the scars on his cheekbone with a single finger. His only reaction was a slight twitching of the eyelid. She wondered why the still visibly red scars hadn't healed better. _Probably because he should have had stitches._ Oddly enough, she thought the matching scars made him more attractive.

"Like he needs any help with that," Elena muttered under her breath, glancing over him appreciatively. Though she'd never admit it out loud, she couldn't deny that she was hugely attracted to him. Ever so softly, she ran her fingers along his collarbone, pausing when her fingers found themselves on the warm skin of his neck. Elena felt him stir slightly and she swiftly withdrew her hand, pretending to be absorbed in her book again by the time Reno's eyes blinked open sleepily.

"Enjoyin' your book?" Reno questioned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Elena nodded furiously, imagining she wasn't blushing. "I didn't know you could read upside down," he commented casually, smirking up at her. Elena's eyes went wide. Sure enough, in her hurry, she'd picked the book up the wrong way. She opened her mouth and closed it again, completely at a loss for the words to get out of this one. Luckily, Reno didn't let her flounder for long.

"I have to go if I'm gonna meet Daniel in time for our little date," Reno grinned, sitting up, "Try not to be too jealous."

"Are you going to wear your suit?" Elena smiled innocently when Reno made a face.

"No. If I don't absolutely have to wear it, I'm not gonna," he declared, standing up and stretching, "See ya tomorrow." "Wait a second," she stopped him as he headed for the window. Slipping off the bed, she covered the distance between them in one big step, throwing her arms around his neck. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach and she could feel her face get hot. But she'd wanted to hug him and she'd decided why the hell not, since she was already embarrassed. Reno's surprise lasted only a second before he carefully put his arms around her waist, his strong arms holding her close for just a moment longer than a normal hug would last but not nearly long enough for either of them.

"Bye," Reno said when they reluctantly moved apart. Elena waved awkwardly as he ducked out the window into the cool evening air. She rubbed her arms, frowning slightly as she suddenly noticed it was cold.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"I almost thought you wouldn't show after the whole thing with the suit earlier today," Daniel grinned when Reno approached him in front of the coffee shop they'd agreed to meet at.

"If I'd had to wear it for this, I wouldn't have come," Reno replied, giving him an un-amused look for bringing up the clothing-of-which-we-do-not-speak.

"We usually don't wear our Turk uniforms while doing surveillance," Daniel started walking down the sidewalk and Reno followed, "Most the people we spy would recognize us that way. Obviously, that defeats the purpose."

"So were are we goin' anyway?" Reno questioned, noting with interest that they didn't seem to be going anywhere below the Plate.

"We're going to the home of a scientist that works for Shinra," the man explained, "A couple of DNA samples from the lab he works in have gone missing and we're eventually going to have to do this same thing for all the scientists that have access to that project. Of course, we aren't told what the project is, and if it's important enough to be kept secret from _us_, then they certainly don't want anyone else finding out about it."

"That's…creepy," Reno commented, wondering what kind of secrets a few strands of DNA held. Daniel laughed lightly.

"Shinra does a lot of things that are…questionable," he said, shrugging, "But they pay good. If you think we get good money, you should see what the scientists get paid to keep their mouths shut. Just don't poke your head around where you don't belong and you'll be fine."

"I'm guessin' it won't go well for whoever stole the samples."

"Ha, no," Daniel laughed dryly, shaking his head, "Anyway, we're getting close so let me tell you a couple more things. You're going to be up on the roof of the building next to his. This guy's apartment is pretty high up so you'll basically be able to see right in. You're going to be watching to see if anything suspicious happens in the apartment, mainly if anyone comes or goes other than our guy. I'll be on the ground, across the street. If he leaves, I'll tail him. He should arrive home shortly after we get settled. Any questions?"

"Should I give you a call if anything weird happens?"

"Yeah, actually we should probably just call each other now and leave it on all night, so if something happens we don't have to bother with calling," Daniel said, pointing to a tall apartment building, "That's the place."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Of course," Reno muttered sarcastically, squinting unappreciatively up at the black night sky which had started splashing huge drops of water down on him hardly twenty minutes after he'd settled himself on the roof. Daniel's amused grin could practically be heard through the phone.

"Tough luck, man! Just try and stay dry. Hopefully this guy likes to go to bed early so we don't have to be out here too long."

"'Try and stay dry'," Reno repeated bitterly, "Easy for you to say! You're tucked away in a doorway down there. I swear these raindrops are aiming for me."

"Oh, hey, here comes our mad scientist now," Daniel's voice became more hushed as he excitedly relayed the information, "He's going in. Let me know when he gets to his apartment."

"Ok," Reno continued muttering curses at the rain under his breath. The droplets of water responded by increasing in number. The redhead was quickly becoming soaked.

The rain continued to fall, heavily and steadily while the scientist went about his business, completely oblivious to those observing his actions.

"Hey, it looks like he's gettin' ready to leave again," Reno said into the phone, using a hushed voice even though there was no way the scientist could have overheard him.

"Alright. He may be going out to dinner or something," Daniel replied, "Hopefully it's something interesting so we can get on with our lives. I'm going to follow him when he comes out. You stay there and keep watching his apartment. Something suspicious may happen while he's gone. If he thinks we're watching him, he could be leaving as a decoy, thinking we'll follow him."

"Hmm, sounds like I'm going to have an enthralling night," Reno said sarcastically.

"Hey, I never said doing this stuff was fun!" Daniel defended, "He's left the building. I've got to shut up now. Let me know if you see anything."

"I see a couch, a TV, a door, a lamp, a-"

"Shut up, Reno."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno shivered, hugging himself tighter as he headed home. Absolutely nothing at all had happened at the scientist's apartment while the man was gone, and Daniel said the man hadn't done anything but have dinner out by himself. The two Turks had gone their separate ways quickly, both anxious to get out of the rain. By the time he was under the Plate, Reno calculated he'd been sitting out in the rain for a good two hours. He sneezed.

"Freakin' cold out here," Reno mumbled, watching water drip off the tip of his nose as he sloshed along. He was glad he'd taken that nap early since now he felt completely exhausted. Everything was starting to look fuzzy and he could barely keep his heavy eyelids open. A fit of coughing stopped him in his tracks and caused a sharp pain to sprout in his chest. Frowning, he started walking again, rubbing the pained spot on his chest.

By the time he got back to his apartment, he was dizzy and felt weak but was too tired to think much of it. The thought of dry clothes briefly crossed his mind as he shoved the creaky door closed behind him, but he only got as far as taking off his combat boots before collapsing on the sofa with another attack of coughing. The sharp pain in his chest that had finally ebbed away returned with a vengeance. He felt like crap and wasn't sure why. _Just need some sleep…_ He sucked in a shaky breath, an uneasy, fitful sleep claiming him while his wet clothes still clung to his skinny frame.

_Author's Note: I'm not even going to pretend I don't enjoy Reno's pain. I think you'd all see through it anyway. I have a serious problem with hurting Reno, don't I? Oh well...I don't feel like doing anything about that "problem" just yet. =D Anyway...I LOVE CHRISTMAS! Just had to get that out there. =D I'm really excited! It's so great! All the cooking, and the family, and the no school, and fireplaces, and yummy treats! Wonderful! Oh, I did a Christmas special last year, so if you guys want me to do another this year, let me know. Ideas welcome. =P Seriously, my brain is too overloaded to come up with ideas right now. Anyway...COOKIES FOR ALL! =D_


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Note: HEEEEEEeeeeeyyy guys! =P I promise I didn't forget about you! I've just had some epic writers block (of course, during winter break when I actually HAD TIME TO WRITE!). I think I'm over it now and hopefully I can crank out some writing in the next few days before I go back to school! =/ Also, I (sadly) have such long intervals between writing, I'm concerned I'll forget about things. So if I mention something that sounds important and don't seem to bring it up again, PLEASE TELL ME. =P I don't want to forget anything cuz I have such great ideas for this story! I got distracted earlier (when I was supposed to be writing =P) and ended up reading the part when Reno and Elena first meet. LOL, I love that part. xD So funny. Anyway, enough stalling, I suppose you guys have waited long enough for this chapter! *nervous laughter* Please don't kill me? =P_

Tseng sat at his desk, a slight frown appearing on his face. A file was laying across his keyboard, apparently Daniel's report on the surveillance mission. This was not what had caused Tseng to frown however. The man reached out, delicately straightening the pen positioned to the left of his keyboard. _Daniel must have used my pen again._ Tseng would never have left the item laying crooked. He was always trying to explain to his team that one could not perform neat, organized work if one's work space was not neat and organized. So far none of them appreciated his intense orderliness.

Glancing over the report, Tseng sighed. No luck on their first suspect. _Oh well. We couldn't have expected to find the culprit on our first try. _The mission hadn't been entirely useless; it had been good experience for Reno. Tseng wondered what the redhead was up to. It was nearly half an hour past the time he was supposed to get to work. He'd usually managed to cause some kind of a commotion by now. Tseng knit his brows, resolving to keep an eye out. The longer it took for Reno to play a prank on someone, the more elaborate and disastrous the prank tended to be.

As his gaze fell upon the memo that popped up on his computer screen, Tseng rolled his eyes. Apparently Heidegger needed to see him and his team _urgently._ Everything was urgent to Heidegger. Tseng suspected the man called these "urgent" meetings just to interrupt his work. Collecting his precious pen and a small pad of paper (as if Heidegger _ever_ said anything worth writing down), Tseng headed down the hall to gather up his Turks.

"Good morning, children," Tseng greeted them cheerily, entering the lounge area where he knew they'd all be gathered, "We have an important meeting to go to, so let's be off. Where's Reno?"

"Ugh, do you have to be so cheerful?" Daniel cast an accusing glance at Tseng, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Just because you're not a morning person doesn't mean you have to behave negatively towards me," Tseng smiled, "Caffeine is a drug, you know." He added this endearing comment with a glance at Myka who was already on her third mug. She stared him down while topping off the cup again.

"Addict," Talan's face remained completely composed, making it nearly impossible to tell if he was actually joking or not.

"Bite me!" Myka snapped back.

"Now, now, children," Tseng removed the pillow that Daniel had covered his face with, "Don't fight. Somebody tell me where Reno is and we'll head off to our very important meeting."

"Haven't seen him," Talan commented. The others simply shrugged.

"Ah, well, he's probably off plotting our downfalls," Tseng smiled grimly, "I don't have time to find him now, so let's go and deal with him later. He'd just be disruptive in a meeting anyway."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Tseng's cheery morning mood had been shot to pieces almost as soon as the conference room doors had closed behind them. On the plus side, his Turks seemed to have been jolted awake. Heidegger had been looking into the recent attack on the President since, after all, the infiltrators had been wearing SOLDIER uniforms. SOLDIER was more Heidegger's thing. Anyway, the man's interrogations had finally proved successful and they'd learned that Don Corneo was behind the attack. The news was surprising, considering they had a bit of an unofficial peace treaty with the Don. Shinra didn't interfere with his operations as long as he didn't mess with Shinra and provided them with information occasionally. Neither was powerful enough to subdue the other without considerable difficulty, so the arrangement kept both sides content. The bold move on the Don's part had come out of nowhere, and gave them plenty of reason to be concerned. Don Corneo needed to be kept in line with a firm hand. Their attention had been so focused on breaking up the drug rings lately that they'd perhaps let the Don get away with more than usual. The freedom must have gone to his head, and he'd gotten bold. They'd have to come down on him soon, and hard. Tseng had reminded the room that while they'd been preoccupied, Corneo could have garnered more power. They'd need to investigate before rushing into anything rashly. If they failed in an attempt to subdue him, it would only escalate the matter. They had to be sure of victory before going into anything.

Tseng tossed his pen and paper down on his desk in frustration, then thought better of it and carefully arranged them in their rightful places. Adding to his annoyance, there still wasn't any sign of Reno and the young man hadn't answered any of the calls Tseng had made. Digging through the file cabinet of personnel files in his office, Tseng pulled Reno's out, taking note of the address. He needed some time to think and organize his thoughts. A nice, long walk would be perfect.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Staring up at the trashy apartment building that corresponded with the address, Tseng wondered why Reno was still living here. He'd been with the Turks long enough to get a couple paychecks. Surely he could afford something even a little nicer by now. Mentally rehearsing his lecture on punctuality, Tseng entered the building, finding himself in a sort of lobby area, occupied by a sofa that Tseng didn't believe safe to sit on, a surprisingly good TV for the surroundings, and a rather large man glaring him down with a beer bottle in one hand.

"Whadaya want?" the man demanded, glancing scornfully at Tseng's pristine suit. The Turk director glanced at his watch. Yup, it was barely noon and the man was drinking. _And not his first beer today, by the smell of things…_

"I'm looking for someone," Tseng replied, politely enough but with a firmness to his voice, "Young man, red hair." What more description was necessary? If mentioning the hair didn't get a response, the man had definitely never seen Reno before. Indeed, a change appeared on the man's face as soon as he mentioned the hair.

"That scrawny bastard?" the man seemed surprised, "Whadaya want with him?" A whole new expression took control of the man's face, one of alarm and greed mixed together. "If you're tryin' to collect money from him, you'd best be on your way. He's only just started paying me what he owes, an' I'm not about to let somebody else get in the way of my money."

"You actually charge people to live _here_?" Tseng couldn't help but let the comment slip from his mouth, his already shortened temper wearing thin quickly.

"Hey, man, if you gotta problem with the place, you can leave! There ain't nobody askin' you to hang around here," the man took a swig of beer from the bottle before placing it down and crossing his arms over his substantial chest, "Whatever you want with the redhead can wait until I'm through collectin' what he owes me. Plus interest!" The man laughed drunkenly. "You'd be surprised what that kid will put up with just for an extension on his rent. I've beat him black and blue a couple of times and he don't even fight back if you promise him an extra week to pay!" The man's irritating laughter was cut short when Tseng lost his temper.

"Listen you drunken scoundrel," Tseng coolly pointed his black handgun at the man's head, "Bring me to the redhead and keep your damn mouth shut." The man nodded dumbly, eyes wide with fright and he led Tseng up a narrow flight of stairs and down a dark hallway, lit sparingly by one bare bulb. Banging harshly on a door with the paint peeling off at the end of the hall, the man cast a nervous glance at Tseng and his gun which was still drawn, though no longer pointed at the man's head. There was no answer from within.

"You have a master key, I'm sure," Tseng informed the landlord, "Open it."

"He don't ever lock it," the man explained, more meekly than before. He twisted the knob and pushed the door open, standing back for Tseng.

There wasn't much to be seen in the small room. Most notable was the ratty couch that Reno was curled up on, appearing to be asleep except for the shivering and occasional bouts of coughing that racked his frame.

"Reno?" Tseng put his gun away quickly, approaching the redhead, "Are you ill?" There was no response.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Tseng sat on the floor, his hands folded under his chin as he observed Reno. He'd called Daniel to bring a car and as he waited, he watched the redhead. He wasn't sure if Reno even knew he was there yet. He'd tried speaking to him, but Reno seemed to be in a fevered sleep. And he certainly had one hell of a fever. His face was flushed and his forehead burning to the touch. He hadn't stopped shaking since Tseng had come in and he was caught in frequent fits of coughing that hindered his already labored breathing.

"Reno," Tseng tried again to speak to the young man. This time the feverishly bright aquamarine eyes actually flickered open, looking at Tseng but not really seeming to see him. It was almost as though he looked just past the Turk leader.

"Tseng?" Reno's voice was hardly more than a raspy whisper and triggered a violent bout of coughs. Tseng noticed the redhead rubbing his chest while he coughed. "I'm late for work…" His gaze drifted out of focus just as his mumbled words fell into silence.

"You're sick, Reno," Tseng wasn't sure if Reno understood what he was saying, "I'm taking you home and getting you a doctor. Just try and rest." The redhead nodded weakly, clearly struggling to take even, deep breaths.

"Feels like…can't breathe," Reno managed to whisper, still rubbing his chest, "Damn, it's really cold."

"Yes, you seem to have a profound lack of blankets in here," Tseng commented dryly, glancing at his phone as it buzzed in his hand, "Now quit talking and focus on breathing. Our ride is here." Daniel appeared in the doorway, making a sympathetic face when he saw Reno on the couch.

"We're taking him to my apartment," Tseng said quietly to Daniel. The man nodded as he pulled one of Reno's arms over his shoulder, supporting most of the redhead's weight. Daniel had him settled in the backseat of the sleek black Mercedes in a matter of moments.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Tseng turned contemptuously to the landlord, tossing a wad of bills at him, "Someone will be by to collect his belongings later. He's not coming back."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno exhaled slowly, carefully, desperately trying to avoid setting off another fit of coughing or sparking that awful pain in his chest. He heard his harsh, labored breathing and his heart thudding slowly in his ears, the voices in the room strangely muffled. They'd taken him to Tseng's apartment and even though he was more focused on trying to escape the feeling of suffocation, he still looked around curiously from where he was on the black leather couch. Daniel had left again, going back to Shinra to fetch a doctor. Tseng suddenly appeared in Reno's field of vision, pressing the back of his hand on the redhead's forehead with a frown.

"Do you still feel cold?" he questioned. Reno focused his eyes on the man's face. It took a surprisingly long time and still longer to actually process what he'd said.

"Like ice," Reno quickly regretted speaking as the words were followed with a cough. Managing to squeeze in a rattling breath, he wrapped his arms around his chest tightly for warmth and to try and soothe the pain in his chest. Tseng piled blanket after blanket on top of Reno, but they didn't seem to be helping. That was the extent of Tseng's ability to assist. He stood looking down at the redhead, unsure of what to do. _Hopefully Daniel will get that doctor soon._ He began to pace restlessly, worried about Reno and the situation with Don Corneo that still required his attention. At least Reno was resting. _Well, sort of. _He'd been drifting in between sleeping and waking for quite some time in the grip of a high fever.

**!#$%^&**&^%$#!**

"Pneumonia," the doctor had spent hardly more than a moment looking over the sick redhead, "He's got pneumonia."

"So what do we do?" Tseng questioned.

"Well, try and keep him warm mainly. I'm prescribing an antibiotic which should help, but if he gets any worse I'm going to insist you move him to a hospital. It's really his breathing I'm worried about. Pneumonia puts a huge amount of stress on the lungs and one of his is already weak."

"He's got a weak lung?" Daniel echoed from his chair across the room where he sat with a concerned frown.

"Yeah, the one that had a bullet go through it," the doctor commented dryly.

"Oh…"

"So basically just try to keep him comfortable and watch his breathing carefully. If he gets any worse, call me at once," the doctor handed Tseng the prescription and left.

"Well…" Daniel unfolded himself from the chair and came to stand next to Tseng as they both looked down at Reno who was sleeping restlessly, "What should we do now?"

"I don't know the first thing about taking care of sick people," Tseng looked at Daniel with a completely mystified expression.

"Uh…soup?" Daniel suggested weakly, "That sounds right, doesn't it?"

"But should we wake him up to give him soup?"

"No?" Daniel's answer was more of a question and the two men stared at each other blankly for a few moments, completely at a loss. Reno's fevered mutterings caught their attention as he tossed weakly underneath the mountain of blankets.

"Did he just say 'Elena'?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, yes he did," Tseng mused.

"That's the girl he kept talking about after he was shot."

Reno mumbled her name again.

"I wonder… " Tseng went over to the laptop sitting on the neat desk across the room, silently working for a few moments, "Ah ha! You know how all our phones can be tracked?" Daniel nodded, coming over to look after one final glance at Reno. "Well, when Reno leaves Shinra, he goes here every day without fail," Tseng pointed at the highly-detailed map of Midgar on his computer, zooming in on a red trail from Shinra headquarters to a dot somewhere under the Plate, "That's not his apartment." Tseng turned to look at Daniel.

"Elena?" Daniel questioned, eyebrows raised curiously.

"Hopefully," Tseng went back over to Reno, carefully slipping the young man's cell out of his pocket without disturbing him. After looking through it for a few seconds, he held it up triumphantly, displaying a picture on the screen of Reno and a blonde girl smiling up at the camera. "Elena."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena looked up at her window and sighed. It was still early for Reno to show up, but she could always hope. It was Saturday, so she didn't even have school to help occupy the hours between visits. It was like the rest of her life was grey in comparison with her time spent with Reno. Her father was being especially loud and obnoxious today. He'd already slapped her once for doing nothing more than walking down the hall at the same time he did. She could hear him yelling at some poor girl right now. She decided to be especially daring and sneak out. It wasn't like she'd been told not to go anywhere. She'd just wait for Reno in that lovely little park above the Plate. He said he walked by it coming home from work. She smiled just imagining herself laying in the grass and watching the clouds up above. Even if they were grey and threatened to unload a barrage of raindrops on the people below, she still preferred it to her room.

Pulling on her thin coat to guard against the cold, she winced as she heard a crash, wondering what had put her father in such an awful mood. _All the more reason to get out of reach._ Slipping quietly down the hall and out the backdoor, Elena wrapped her arms around herself and kept her head down as she hurried through the alley and onto the street.

"Elena?" Her head snapped up when she heard her name. A man dressed in a suit with long dark hair and looking only slightly less surprised then she stood only a few feet in front of her. Suspicion and a bit of fear crept into her eyes. _Who is this guy? How does he know me?_

"Is this you?" the man questioned, approaching slowly and speaking softly as if trying not to scare off a frightened animal and holding up a phone with a picture on it. Peering at it, Elena's eyes went wide. It was the one of her and Reno that he'd taken just last week.

"Where did you get this?" she questioned, taking the phone and holding it carefully in her cold fingers. Finally her mind made the connection as she looked again at his suit. "Are you a Turk?" she lowered her voice to an awed and frightened whisper.

"Yes, my name is Tseng," the man replied, "I'm Reno's boss. He's quite sick at the moment and keeps asking for you in his sleep. I tracked you here…" The man's voice trailed off as he glanced up at the unsavory establishment. While there wasn't exactly a sign out front, it was still obvious what kind of place it was.

"It's not what it looks like, I promise," Elena muttered, blushing in embarrassment, "Reno's sick? Can you take me to him?" She swallowed her fear of the intimidating man before her. Clearly, Reno needed her.

"I was hoping you would say that."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Look what I brought," Tseng smiled slightly, walking into his apartment and tossing the pill bottle to Daniel.

"Ah, the antibiotics, awesome," Daniel scrutinized the label studiously, as if he understood any of it, not noticing as Tseng stepped aside, holding the door open for the cautious girl that followed hesitantly.

"Daniel, say hello to Elena," Tseng shut the door, not even getting the chance to point the girl towards Reno before she was on her knees next to the couch, peering into Reno's pale face. She pushed the loose strands of blood-red hair out of his closed eyes gently, laying a hand delicately on his hot cheek.

"Hello to Elena," Daniel followed Tseng's orders literally, "Apparently he has pneumonia. The doctor gave us this." He handed the pill bottle to Elena who took it and glanced over it, gleaning all the information she needed.

"Poor Reno," she breathed quietly, then spoke louder, "Tseng, do you have a kitchen? And tea?"

"Yes," Tseng responded quickly, obviously relieved to have the responsibility of caring for Reno taken out of his hands.

"I'll make him some tea and then wake him up to take his medicine." The awkward hesitancy Elena had displayed since running into Tseng had completely disappeared now that she had Reno to take care of. "Fill this with water," she commanded Tseng easily, handing him the teapot he'd found in the back of a cabinet.

"This is so my fault," Daniel commented sorrowfully, leaning his elbows on his knees and staring morosely at the redhead, "I shouldn't have let him stay out in the rain."

"You were out in that same rain and didn't get sick," Tseng pointed out practically.

"It's not your fault Reno doesn't know how to take care of himself," Elena said, entering the room with a cup of the steaming tea she'd prepared, "There's more in the kitchen if you want some." Setting the cup down carefully on the low table in front of the couch, she turned her concerned eyes to Reno who was still caught in a fitful slumber. Shaking him gently, she called his name.

"Reno, wake up," she traced the scars on his cheekbones, flicking his unruly hair from his face. His eyelids twitched and his lips moved for a moment as if he were speaking but the only sound was his ragged breathing. Elena continued softly calling his name and gliding her fingers over his delicate features until, with a long, gasping breath, Reno's eyelids fluttered open, revealing cloudy aquamarine eyes that stared up at her groggily. A look of confusion passed over his face for a moment before a vicious fit of coughing made him wince, the pain in his chest stabbing through him brutally. Elena kept a hand on him comfortingly until he regained control of his breathing and opened his confused eyes again.

"Elena?" The word was more mouthed then spoken but the girl understood.

"You're not dreaming," she smiled, her hand resting on top of the pile of blankets, "Tseng came to find me."

"You kept asking for her in your sleep," Daniel happily pointed out, earning a half-hearted glare from Reno.

"Anyway," Elena's cheeks colored only slightly, "I made you some tea and you need to take this medicine." Elena handed him the cup and the pills once Reno was settled comfortably sitting up. He took his medicine without arguing and didn't put up a fight over drinking the tea either, revealing just how badly he was feeling.

"So," Elena raised a disapproving eyebrow and fixed her equally disapproving look on the redhead, "I hear you were out in the rain last night?" Reno looked up meekly, knowing what was coming as he nodded slightly. "And so once you were thoroughly soaked I suppose you just went home in the awful cold and simply went to bed without even bothering to change or dry off?" Again, Reno nodded meekly. "Did that seem like a good idea?"

"At the time," Reno managed to whisper, clearly struggling to breath as he shivered. He pressed a shaky hand to his pale forehead.

"What's the matter?" she asked anxiously.

"Dizzy," he replied, closing his eyes.

"Well, you have an awful fever," Elena took the cup out of his hand, "Why don't you lay down now?" Nodding weakly, the redhead slid beneath the blankets, rolling over onto his stomach. Even those simple movements seemed to exhaust him. A tiny cough escaped his lips.

"It seems as though you have the situation under control," Tseng commented, watching Elena sit beside the couch, rubbing Reno's back comfortingly as his breathing slowly steadied. "If you think you two will be alright on your own, it's time Daniel and myself returned to work. They'll be wondering where we've gone."

"I suppose we'll be fine," she looked up in surprise. She'd almost forgotten about the other two men in the room.

"Here's a number you can reach me at if there's a problem," Tseng placed a business card on the table. "I think he likes you." Tseng smiled knowingly, seeing Reno's hand slip out from beneath the blankets and find it's way into Elena's. The girl blushed and stared at the floor, letting her hair fall around her face.

"Well, duh, Tseng," Daniel grinned, "Why do you think the guy mutters her name all the time?" Reno was asleep or at least beyond responding.

"In any case, I trust you'll take excellent care of my newest Turk."

"Yes, sir," she muttered, keeping her eyes glued to the floor until she heard the door close behind the two of them. Then she glanced up at the place where they'd stood a moment ago. Strange…she'd expected the Turks to be much more intimidating and heartless. Their leader appeared to be an absolute gentlemen and the other one, Daniel, hardly seemed a deadly assassin. _Maybe the others are more…stereotypical. _She continued rubbing Reno's back, encouraged by the smoother sound of his breath. _His lungs must be under an incredible amount of strain._ First a bullet had gone through one and now this!

"Just hang on, Reno. We'll have you better in no time." She stared into the redhead's sleeping face, recalling Tseng's words: _'I think he likes you'._ It almost surprised her when she found herself wishing it was true.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno's fever became worse in the next few hours, leaving him unable to sleep. Exhausted as he was, he lay in a sort of daze, staring with hazy vision at the ceiling, small beads of cold sweat forming on his almost transparently pale face, his breath coming in thin little gasps. Elena constantly dabbed a wet rag over his face, clutching his hand as if it was the only thing keeping him there. She murmured soothingly, not really saying much of anything but hoping it would help somehow.

"It hurts," Reno's voice was so quiet and his face so still, Elena wondered if she imagined the only words he'd spoken in a long while. She responded anyway.

"I know, baby, I know," she smoothed the dark, damp strands of hair out of his forehead, desperately willing him to feel better.

"No," he shook his head weakly and, his grip weak, pulled her hand under the covers and placed it over the center of his chest, a little lower than heart-level. "It hurts here." Elena frowned, wondering if that was normal for pneumonia patients. Instinctively, she began to gently rub the area.

"Does that help?" she asked. He nodded slightly. Glancing at the phone, Elena considered calling Tseng. Reno wasn't doing so well and she didn't like the sound of this chest pain. However, calling meant taking her hands off the redhead. _I'll wait. If he gets worse, I'll call._

The sunlight streaming through the windows and stretching it's golden fingers across the wood floor was beginning to fail when Reno finally seemed to be feeling better. His strength returned enough that he could sit up again and so she gave him more tea, sitting next to him on the couch and letting him lean against her. Eventually he fell into a deep, restful sleep, his head in her lap. Tseng returned not too much later, Daniel and two others in tow.

"We brought soup," a green-eyed woman declared before ever introducing herself.

"Shhh!" Daniel shushed her dramatically, "He's asleep!" His hissing whispers were louder than the woman's voice had been.

"I take it you are Elena," a man stepped forward from the back of the group, ignoring the antics of the others. His dark hair matched his deep-brown eyes and black clothes. He stuck out a hand awkwardly. "I'm Talan." She shook the outstretched hand and the man quickly retreated to a chair as far away from the activity as possible.

"Damn, he's got bad luck," the green-eyed woman glanced at Reno sympathetically.

"Her name is Myka," Daniel's lop-sided grin appeared, "But you can just call her a hell-hound." The woman's eyes quickly turned steely as she lunged at the man.

"And you can call him _dead_."

_Author's Note: So yeah...I'm actually not totally pleased with this chapter. It all worked out a lot better in my head. Maybe it's cuz blood isn't involved? =P I'm a terrible sadist, I know. Oh well. I don't see anyone complaining. xD I hope you all had wonderful holidays! And thanks for putting up with my horrifically late updates! o_O Is it too much to ask for a review too? I don't want to push it!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Note: Heeeeey! *sweat drop* Long time, no see! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! *throws self on floor and begs* I offer no excuses, simply apologies! I'm a terrible updater, and a terrible person! I feel AWFUL for leaving you all so long! But! Good news! I've actually been writing really regularly lately and so hopefully I can update more now! I know, I know, I've promised that a lot lately, but those times I'd always simply planned to write more regularly. Now I'm actually doing it. See? So anyway, I don't deserve to have a long author's note, so I'm going to get you to the part you want to read. xD The first part is just a bit from the previous chapter, so we all know what's going on. Oh, WARNING: I can't tell you exactly without giving stuff away, but this chapter contains some more sensitive stuff. So consider yourselves warned. You'll know when you find it, and if you don't like, just skip over it. You'll be able to tell what's going on anyway. That being said, there's plenty of fluff too to make us all feel better. =D So ENJOY!_

The sunlight streaming through the windows and stretching it's golden fingers across the wood floor was beginning to fail when Reno finally seemed to be feeling better. His strength returned enough that he could sit up again and so she gave him more tea, sitting next to him on the couch and letting him lean against her. Eventually he fell into a deep, restful sleep, his head in her lap. Tseng returned not too much later, Daniel and two others in tow.

"We brought soup," a green-eyed woman declared before ever introducing herself.

"Shhh!" Daniel shushed her dramatically, "He's asleep!" His hissing whispers were louder than the woman's voice had been.

"I take it you are Elena," a man stepped forward from the back of the group, ignoring the antics of the others. His dark hair matched his deep-brown eyes and black clothes. He stuck out a hand awkwardly. "I'm Talan." She shook the outstretched hand and the man quickly retreated to a chair as far away from the activity as possible.

"Damn, he's got bad luck," the green-eyed woman glanced at Reno sympathetically.

"Her name is Myka," Daniel's lop-sided grin appeared, "But you can just call her a hell-hound." The woman's eyes quickly turned steely as she lunged at the man.

"And you can call him _dead_."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"So what are we gonna do about the Don?" Daniel settled himself in one of Tseng's large, black leather armchairs.

"What?" Reno picked his head up off Elena's shoulder, looking only slightly less confused than Elena. He'd woken up about half an hour ago and had immediately been bombarded with soup, tea, medicine, and other "cures".

"Those guys that infiltrated the building dressed as SOLDIER," Daniel clarified for Reno's benefit, ignorant of the subtle signals to shut up Tseng was sending, "Well apparently the were working for Don Corneo!"

"Um, excuse me, Daniel," Tseng interjected, the forced smile on his face unable to hide his annoyance, "Perhaps now is not the best time to discuss this." Daniel looked back into his boss' hard stare, completely mystified for a moment until his whole face lit up with understanding.

"Oohh," he looked at Elena at once, "Sorry, I guess that would be classified information wouldn't it." He grinned, unperturbed by his breach in security protocols. "Who's she gonna tell anyway?"

"I won't tell," Elena said quickly, old rumors about people disappearing and mysterious deaths attributed to "natural causes" floating around in her head, "I don't really have any idea what you were talking about anyway."

"Seriously guys," Reno grinned weakly, "She's not gonna tell anybody anything."

"I suppose it will be fine…just this once," Tseng relented, looking uncomfortable about breaking the rules.

"Yeah, so," Daniel launched right back into his story, "The Don sometimes acts out, but this is pretty bold, even for him. We've got to hit him back before he gets any more bright ideas, and hard."

"So what's the plan?" Reno replied, laying his head back against the couch tiredly. Elena pressed a hand to his forehead, relieved to find that his fever was gone.

"We don't exactly have one yet," Myka chimed in, almost completely curled around her steaming mug of coffee. She hadn't spoken since she'd discovered that Tseng only possessed decaf. It seemed she was overcoming her anger.

"You have a real problem," Talan cast her a disturbed glance.

"Shut up before I _give_ you a real problem," Myka glared at the man.

"Enough!" Tseng shot them both an irritated glance, "I haven't gotten around to thinking of a plan yet. My first priority was finding you. Speaking of which, you have quite a lovely landlord." Tseng's voice was heavily laden in sarcasm.

"Yeah, he's a real bastard," Reno sighed.

"Hmm, well, I took the liberty of modifying your living arrangements," Tseng continued, "Shinra offers free lodging to some of its higher level employees. The only cost is a little paperwork, which I have also taken the liberty of filling out and filing for you. They should have an apartment, much like this one, arranged for you in a few days," Tseng gestured to the rooms they currently occupied, "In the meantime, you will remain here, recovering."

Reno's mouth opened, and then closed again. He really had no idea what to say.

"I told you the job had benefits," Tseng smiled, "I would also like to apologize for not informing you of this particular benefit sooner. I didn't realize your previous quarters were so…inadequate."

"Well, it was better than the street," Reno grinned ruefully.

"Debatable," Tseng shook his head.

"So what about the Don?" Talan steered the conversation back to the issue at hand.

"We need more information before we can do anything," Tseng declared, "Clearly, the Don felt up to blatantly opposing us. Perhaps we let our watch on him slip as our attention strayed to other projects. We must re-assess his capabilities before we make any moves against him."

"I guess that means you're off the hook for a couple more days," Myka commented, glancing at the redhead.

"We'll probably be rather busy tomorrow," Talan observed, rising from his chair, "I'm going home to sleep."

"You sleep?" Daniel faked surprise, "I didn't think you needed to sleep, or eat for that matter!"

"I don't." With no trace of a smile, Talan turned and left.

"Was that a joke?" Daniel looked a bit unnerved, "Somebody please tell me he wasn't serious."

"Of course it was a joke, idiot," Myka smacked him playfully on the side of the head as she passed him on her way to the kitchen, depositing her empty mug next to the stack of dishes by the sink. "I think I'll head out too. You've got the dishes, right, Tseng?" She smiled with mock innocence as she paused by the door.

"I'm going too," Daniel hastily jumped up, sticking close to Myka. Tseng rolled his eyes and sighed, getting up and heading to the kitchen.

"You know, when I took this job I didn't think it was going to be this much like parenting," he complained.

"I knew you wouldn't mind." With a final wave, Myka was out the door, leaving Daniel to close it as he hurried after her.

"I can do those," Elena offered quickly, glancing up at Tseng, careful not to disturb Reno who seemed to be almost asleep again.

"It's alright. You should stay with him."

Elena glanced down at the redhead who had stretched out on the couch, his head in her lap. His breathing was still irregular and sounded forced, but it was much better than it had been. Making sure he was covered sufficiently with blankets, she starting rubbing his back again. Maybe it was all in her head, but it seemed to help him breath. Elena felt herself relax for the first time in a long while. _My father can't reach me here._ She'd never realized just how tense, how on edge she was all the time in her life, until the source of her fears was removed. She laid her head down, wishing this bit of freedom could last forever.

Tseng dried his hands on a towel, tossing it onto the counter as he left the kitchen, turning the light off behind him. A slight smile appeared on his face at the sight that greeted him from the half-light of the lamp in the living room. Both Reno and Elena were sound asleep on the couch, his head in her lap. After listening a moment to be sure Reno was breathing ok, Tseng covered Elena with a blanket and turned off the lamp, heading quietly to his bedroom.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena drifted back towards consciousness slowly, waking fully with a start when she became aware enough to notice her unusual surroundings. The previous day came back to her and she glanced down to find Reno's head in her lap still, where she remembered him being. He was still sleeping, a good sign. Rest was the best thing for him right now. Glancing around the unfamiliar apartment while she tried to stretch without disturbing Reno, her eyes fell upon a neatly penned note balanced delicately against a glass directly in front of her on the table. She leaned forward to pick it up.

_Elena,_

_I must go to work today. Please make yourself at home and be sure Reno takes his medicine. You are welcome to stay as long as you like, but if you must leave, don't worry, Reno will be safe here. _

The note terminated in an elaborate signature that looked too perfect to have been created by man.

"Nice handwriting," Elena whispered to herself, placing the note back down carefully.

"Elena," Reno's voice was sleepy, but carried a tone that should have tipped her off to the nature of what was coming, "Your…you are in my face." The calm, blunt statement abruptly reminded her that Reno's head was still in her lap and she jerked back sharply to reveal his aquamarine eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Sorry," she muttered, having become stiff as a board in her embarrassment.

"No need to apologize," the redhead laughed, very softly so as to be gentle on his stressed lungs, "And yes, Tseng does have weirdly good handwriting." He pulled himself up to a sitting position, rubbing his eyes.

"You shouldn't get up yet," Elena cautioned, pushing his crimson hair out of the way to press the back of her hand against his forehead, "You still have a fever. It's a lot lower, but still a fever."

"But I'm bored," he protested, untangling himself from the copious amount of blankets they'd heaped on him and getting to his feet. He stood there for barely a second before putting a hand to his head and sitting back down. "Bored and dizzy. And cold," he added, pulling the blankets back over himself, "But still better. I bounce back quick."

"Told you," Elena couldn't resist, hopping off the couch herself, "I'll go make you some tea." A few minutes later and she was handing him a steaming mug.

"I need to go home," she said regretfully, "Are you going to be alright?" The past night seemed like something from a dream, but reality was coming back to her and she was nervously wondering if her father had noticed her absence. Reno stopped with the cup halfway to his lips.

"Are you going to be ok?" he asked casually enough, but his eyes were serious. As usual, she couldn't hide anything from him. Her nervousness must have shown despite her attempts to mask it.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she smiled forcedly, pretending to busy herself with the pillows on the sofa so she could avoid his gaze, "He won't even notice I was gone." She only wished she believed it. Reno was uncharacteristically quiet. "Here, take your medicine before I go and call Tseng if you start to feel worse," Elena demanded, putting the two pills in his hand.

"You're a good babysitter," Reno grinned, tossing the pills back quickly, "Thanks for takin' care of me. Those idiots would have killed me for sure."

"Happy to do it," Elena smiled and headed for the door.

"Be careful," he called out suddenly after her.

"I will," she promised, deciding not to mention that there really wasn't much she could be careful about. Whether her father noticed her gone or not was all up to chance now. Hopefully Lady Luck would smile on her today.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena berated herself for believing, even for an instant, that any such thing could happen. Good luck? Her? She'd climbed through her window, assuming it would be the most secretive way to enter, only to be greeted rudely by the very man she'd been trying to avoid.

"Where've ya been, bitch?" He stood in the doorway, beer bottle in hand as always, glaring at her with that sick smile that turned her stomach. He knew what was coming just as well as she did, but that smile said he was going to enjoy it. Elena took one glance around her room which was in tatters, probably the result of her father's drunken rage at finding her gone without his permission, and turned back to the window, intending to run and not make the mistake of coming back this time. Before she had a chance to execute her plan, the beer bottle smashed against the wall above, narrowly missing her head and showering her with glass. She cringed, hesitating long enough for him to reach her. He shoved her roughly against the wall.

"I asked you a question," he hissed menacingly, "What do you do when your father asks you a question?"

_Kick him in the balls?_ Elena considered this option but got tossed across the room before she could make up her mind about it. Rolling roughly off the end of her bed, she hit the back of her head against the dresser. She pulled herself to her feet, wincing and rubbing the sore spot.

"You know, for someone so fat you sure can throw," she muttered.

"What was that? Speak up!"

Elena gulped. _Oh, what the hell. _She'd had enough. "I said, you've got quite an arm for such a fat-ass!"

"Oh, you ain't seen nothin' yet," he fumed, his eyes burning with anger.

And so here she was, curled in the corner of the remains of her bedroom, hot tears rolling down cut and bruised cheeks as she cradled one arm against her chest. It hurt badly and she just hoped it wasn't broken. He'd told her why he was so mad while he beat her. Apparently when he'd noticed she was gone the night before, he'd instantly began quizzing all the women that lived there about where she'd gone. There were some that would never give her up, and none of them knew where she'd gone anyway, but there were also those that weren't as concerned for her well-being. As much as she'd tried to keep it a secret, the women all knew about Reno by now and at least one of them had let it slip to her father, telling him all about the mysterious boy that came to visit almost every night. A new wave of tears stung her cheeks as she recalled the exact words he'd used. _"If that's what you wanted, you could've at least let me make money off it!" _As if that was all she saw Reno for. She hadn't even kissed him properly, much less…She shook her head, trying to shift her aching body to a new position without hurting anything, especially the ankle she'd sprained while tripping on her over-turned desk. _"You're enough trouble as it is! I don't need ya to go gettin' pregnant too!"_

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno sighed, putting the remote control down. He was bored. Daniel had brought over a stack of his favorite movies the afternoon Elena had left, and, after three days, Reno was down to two. One could only watch so many movies though, even if he spent half his time sleeping. Having pneumonia was apparently exhausting. The doctor had come to see him again, and seemed surprised to see how well he was doing. Reno wasn't that surprised. He'd always been quick at recovering. He still had occasional fits of coughing and the pain in his chest showed up every now and then, but it wasn't nearly as sharp as it had once been.

Mostly he missed Elena. He couldn't get her off his mind for some reason. Reno glanced at the clock. It would be another three hours at least before Tseng came back. Maybe, just maybe he'd have time to sneak out, visit Elena, and get back before his care-taker returned. Of course, if Tseng was early, there'd be hell to pay. Reno had tried to convince the man to let him go do something the previous day, but his efforts were met with complete and total refusal.

Making a decision, Reno tossed aside the blankets that were his constant companion, searched the floor briefly for his combat boots and pulled on his jacket, shivering slightly. He still found himself cold more often than not. In mere moments, he was out on the street, following a path he knew by heart. The outside air was a little harsh on his recovering lungs, but he ignored it, just happy to be somewhere other than Tseng's couch.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena stared at the floor in a kind of daze while her body almost automatically went through the motions of sweeping. She limped along, favoring her sprained right foot, but her face barely showed any recognition of pain. It was like part of her, the part that felt, had shut down. It felt like she was watching herself from a distance, aware of the pain in the back of her mind, but blocking it out. After being beat on several times the first day alone, her mind had to do something to protect itself. The emotional trauma was just too much for her to deal with.

The broken glass clinked together as she swept up the remains of bottles and glasses that had been in the hands of particularly rowdy customers the night before. She looked around the room bleakly, laughing bitterly inside at how she'd once thought her life couldn't get any worse. At least before she'd been able to get away for a few hours every day. She hadn't been to school for days. How could she, looking like she did. Nobody spoke to her, not even the few women who actually liked her. Except her father of course. He took every opportunity to verbally abuse her, as if the regular kind wasn't enough.

"Still not done?" The very man she'd been thinking about appeared in the doorway, glaring at her, "I left ya in here an hour ago!" Elena glanced about her at the messy room. She doubted she could get it clean if she had a whole day, and two good feet instead of just the one.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"You know what," her father approached, causing her whole body to wince in apprehension, "I don't think you are." He slapped her hard, catching her off balance and causing her to fall down. She put her hands out to break her fall, gasping when one landed in the pile of broken glass she'd been sweeping up. She barely had time to brush the glass off and squeeze her stinging palm before the man pulled her to her feet and began dragging her down the hall.

"Whatever, you're no use anyway. I should have known better than to think you could actually do something right!" He knocked her against the doorframe on purpose before tossing her roughly onto the floor of her bedroom. Elena desperately tried to block out her surroundings as he came towards her, preparing for another routine beating. Something behind her moved swiftly forward, delivering a punch that sent her father reeling.

"Reno?" she mouthed the word more than said it as she stared at the redhead in front of her, wondering if it was a dream or a hallucination.

Reno didn't allow the bastard before him time to recover from his first blow. This time he hit him with his whole weight, slamming the man against the wall, squeezing his fingers around the man's neck in a death-grip. Pure rage flowed through his veins, and he could hear it rushing in his ears as he fixed an icy stare on the man's face. His victim gasped for air and clutched at his throat, surprise and fear in his eyes while nothing but hate glinted from Reno's. A vein pulsed in the redhead's forehead as he struggled to control his anger. As much as he wanted to squeeze every drop of air out of the man, he had to get Elena out of here. Fire burned behind his eyes as his mind reeled, imaging what had been done to the girl.

"If you ever," Reno's voice came out as hardly more than a hissed whisper, shaking from the violent emotions flowing through him, "Touch her again, I will tear you to pieces." Letting the man fall to the ground in a breathless heap, Reno turned and knelt by Elena who was still curled on the ground. She stared back at him blankly, only vague traces of surprise showing in her red, teary eyes.

"Are…are you real?" she finally asked.

"Yes, I'm really here. You're safe now. It's over," he still spoke quietly, but this time his voice was incredibly soft and gentle as he scooped her up, carrying her into the hall and towards the door amidst the amazed stares of the women that lived there, drawn by the commotion. Elena's father didn't have the good sense to stay on the ground, and pulled himself heavily to his feet after they passed him. Rubbing his bruised neck, the man spoke out, his words harsh and slurred as usual, but possessing a new hesitancy.

"Where do ya think you're goin'?"

Reno stopped, feeling Elena tense up in his arms and suck in a frightened breath. He turned just far enough to fix a glare on the man who simply gaped in response, still thrown off by Reno's sudden appearance. Reno moved on, carrying Elena out of the building and a few blocks away before he stopped, setting her gently on the ground against a brick wall. Crouching before her, his hands trembling still from the adrenaline his anger had released, he lifted her face to look into his eyes. They stared at each other in silence for a moment, the girl fighting a losing battle against her tears and the redhead struggling to draw irregular breaths. The violent episode had been hard on his lungs. He broke his gaze off to cough, a hand moving instinctively to the spot on his chest he'd been rubbing for days now.

"Are you ok?" Elena whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You're asking me?" Reno looked back up at her, amazement in his aquamarine eyes. She nodded, biting her lip as the tears really started to flow. Squeezing her eyes shut, she reached out and put her arms around him, crying into his shoulder.

"Shh, you're safe now," he held the sobbing girl close, running his fingers through her hair comfortingly, "He won't ever hurt you again." After her sobs quieted, Reno spoke again, "Is there anything you need from there?" She shook her head fiercely.

"You can't go back, you can't ever go back there!" she pulled back to look up at him urgently, "He'll kill you."

"Please, as if he's a match for me," Reno smiled, trying to make her feel better, "Were you watching back there?"

"You just surprised him," Elena insisted, "And you're sick. I can tell you're already tired. And don't try to hold your breath so I won't notice." She gave him a reproachful look as he tried to release his breath surreptitiously. She had perfectly predicted what he would do.

"Fine, let's just get you back to Tseng's," Reno picked her up off the pavement and started walking.

"I can't believe Tseng let you go anywhere," Elena remarked, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder.

"He didn't. He's still at work. I snuck out."

"I'm glad you did," she said softly, "Thank you."

"Elena…why didn't you run away?"

"I couldn't. My ankle…I can barely walk on it."

"We'll get you fixed up in no time," Reno assured her, "Everything's going to be fine now." Elena's eyelids began to slide closed. She was finally able to rest without worrying about her father, and Reno's heartbeat right beneath her ear was lulling her to sleep. _"Everything's going to be fine…"_ She repeated the words to herself. For once, she actually believed them.

"What set him off this time?" Reno asked.

"You," Elena replied, "He noticed I was gone overnight and starting asking questions. The whole story came out and he didn't like it."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault," she assured him, "If this is what happens because of meeting you….well, I'd do it all the same over again."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno set Elena on the couch gently, crouching in front of her and peering anxiously into her face. She was staring blankly ahead and didn't seem to see him.

"Hey, Elena," he spoke softly, not wanting to startle her, "You ok?" Her eyes abruptly focused on his face.

"Yeah…I'm fine."

"Alright, well just sit here for a minute. I'll be right back." The redhead got up quickly and went off in search of first-aid supplies. If he knew Tseng, there would be stash of medical supplies so well-stocked, one could probably perform brain surgery from it.

"Jack-pot," Reno muttered to himself, opening a promising cabinet in the bathroom and finding it overflowing with anything anyone could possibly desire for treating a variety of wounds. Quickly grabbing what he needed, Reno returned to Elena, who hadn't so much as moved a finger, and knelt in front of her again.

She watched him as he took her hand, held it palm up in his own, and proceeded to dab the numerous small cuts from the glass she'd fallen in earlier with an antiseptic-soaked cotton ball. It stung, but Reno was extremely careful as he attentively went about cleaning the cuts and wrapping her hand in soft gauze. He worked in silence, and when he had tied off the gauze and cut away the extra, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers lightly before moving to her other hand without even looking at her for a reaction as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

He repeated the process on her other hand, including a kiss, and then sat on the edge of the sofa, surveying her face. She blinked and looked away self-consciously. There was mostly just bruises on her face, but Reno meticulously cleaned every little scratch marring her skin. It was in the midst of this task that Tseng returned, tailed closely by Myka and Daniel.

"You can just admit that you want to see how he's doing," Daniel was laughing, "I mean, he's like the awesome little brother that none of us had!"

"I already told you, idiot, I think I left my sunglasses here!" Myka answered, before almost running into Tseng, "Hey! Watch it! Why'd you stop all of a sudden?"

"What happened?" Tseng demanded, staring in surprise at the two figures on the couch. Daniel and Myka quickly shoved their way around Tseng to see what was going on. Reno didn't so much as look at them until he'd finished dabbing the last cut clean, and then kissed her on the forehead, as if determined to make up for every time her father hit her in kisses.

"Come into the kitchen, and I'll tell you," Reno led the three anxious Turks into the other room, "Her bastard of a father beats her." He spoke quietly, trying to stay calm. "Usually just tosses her around a bit, but this time…he was pissed off. He found out about me and got angry. I got bored today and went to see her."

"Did you kill anyone?" Tseng interjected.

"Almost," Reno replied darkly. Daniel looked disappointed.

"Just checking if there's anything we need to cover up," said Tseng calmly, as if it was a question he asked everyday.

"Why?" Myka demanded, fixing a very fierce gaze on the redhead.

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you kill him?"

"Oh, so you wanted me to start killing people in front of the girl that's been beaten for days? That's not enough trauma for you?" Reno replied.

"Idiot," Myka rolled her eyes, turned on her hell and headed out of the kitchen with a purpose.

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked.

"Checking on her! What else?" the woman shot him a glare, "No, you can't come. It's girl time."

Elena looked up as the woman sat on the couch next to her. The haughty condescension that usually coated every look and word was gone, replaced by an uncharacteristic gentleness.

"Hey, honey," the woman's words lacked the sharp stinging tone they normally carried as she patted Elena's shoulder comfortingly, "Are you alright?"

"I think so," Elena stared at her newly-bandaged hands, "A lot of bruises and a sprained ankle, but no broken bones or anything."

"So all he did was hit you?" Myka's vividly green eyes contained only honest concern. Elena blinked, then understood what the woman was getting at.

"Oh, yes," Elena shuddered. She didn't even want to think about that.

"Ok, just checking," Myka relaxed some, glancing over the girl's bandaged hands, "Well, Reno seems to have this taken care of. Anything you'd rather me take care of than Reno?" Myka gestured towards Elena's torso.

"No, it's just bruises," the girl shook her head.

"Alright," Myka smiled kindly, a rare sight, "I'm going to go check on the boys. Who knows what trouble they'll get into without being supervised!"

"Soup," Reno stated, shoving an empty pot at Myka when she walked back into the kitchen.

"What, is that a question?" she raised an eyebrow, "There's nothing in this pot."

"Of course not!" Reno rolled his eyes like she was being ridiculous, "You're supposed to make some soup!"

"Uh huh," she took the pot from him, smacking him lightly on the head with it, "And what makes you think I can make soup?" Reno blinked.

"Because you're a woman?" he offered.

"Sound logic," Daniel nodded his approval.

"Assuming she's really a woman," the redhead smirked.

"Oh, she's a woman," Daniel assured them all quickly. All eyes turned to him, intrigued.

"You seem very sure about that," Tseng commented idly.

"Something you want to share, Daniel?" Myka's voice was enough to turn anything to ice, and the threatening look she cast the man, pot in hand, didn't make it any better.

"No," he gulped.

"Anyway," Myka slowly lowered the pot, turning away from the sufficiently subdued Daniel, "I can't make soup." With a vast sigh, Tseng strode forward, taking the pot from Myka and putting it on the stove.

"Well then," he commented dryly, "I guess I'll be making the soup."

"You cook?" said Daniel, a grin on his face.

"Why yes, I am capable of taking care of myself," the dark-haired man said, his tone indicating that the conversation was over.

"Alright…" Reno observed Tseng go about the preparations with slight suspicion, "If you say so." Leaving the three of them to it, the redhead hurried back to the couch, regretting leaving Elena for so long.

"They're making you some soup," he said, sitting next to her and wrapping his arms around her shoulders comfortingly.

"Soup?" she grinned, "I'm not sick."

"Well yeah, but it seemed appropriate," Reno grinned back, "What else would you eat right now? Pizza?" The girl smiled sadly.

"You need to rest, Reno," she looked up into his tired eyes, "_You're_ actually sick!"

"Resting isn't so boring when I have company." There was silence for a moment as they simply sat together in the fading light of evening.

"What am I going to do, Reno?" Elena sounded close to tears, her quivering whisper slightly choked.

"Smile. All the time," Reno squeezed her closer, "Lay out in the sun every day and watch it set every night. Laugh and be happy. I'll worry about the rest." In response, the girl moved into his lap, slowly to avoid hurting her sprained ankle. She put her arms around his neck and laid her head against his chest. Surprised, but definitely not complaining, Reno let one long arm rest around her waist and stroked her hair gently with his other hand. He could feel hot tears soaking into his shirt and felt again for a moment the burning rage that had filled him earlier. He couldn't comprehend how anyone could possibly intentionally hurt Elena.

The exhausted girl soon fell asleep, cuddled against her rescuer. Reno began to drift off as well. He was far from having regained all his strength and energy and the days events had drained him.

Myka stopped short as the three Turks moved towards the living room. She threw her arms out, stopping Daniel and Tseng and shoved them roughly back into the kitchen, shushing them silently.

"But the soup!" Tseng hissed, gesturing with the bowl of steaming, and rather delicious smelling, soup that he'd slaved over, "I thought we were supposed to make it for her!"

"Well now she's busy!" Myka insisted, "The soup can wait."

"Yeah…" Daniel stared longingly into the other room, "But I kinda want to watch TV." Myka stared at him, hard, for a moment and then relented.

"Ok fine, but be quiet!" she warned, "Don't you dare disturb them or…else." What was an empty threat from anyone else in the world was enough to make a grown man cry coming from Myka. Thus, Daniel nodded seriously and crept into the living room with such stealth he didn't even use on their most sensitive missions. Tseng sighed dramatically, stuck the soup in the microwave to keep warm and inched after Daniel. Myka followed them both, preferring to watch Reno and Elena sleep than the TV.

"What are you doing?" Daniel questioned, seeing Myka pull out her phone and take a picture of the two.

"It's cute," the woman shrugged, "And you never know when I could use it to blackmail him."

_Author's Note: So yeah...I'd been meaning to get to this for awhile. And I finally did. Woot. So meanness and then fluff. That's basically my pattern. =P See, fanfiction's not that hard! LOL. ALSO I LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU ALL! Please review, even though I don't deserve it! I honestly miss you guys. Like, I want to hear from you, how your lives are going, anything random you want to talk about. I love ya'll! (Southern USA talk for "you all" ... just thought I'd do a little translation =P ) _


	12. Chapter 12

_Author's Note: HA! See? I updated! It's really short, so sorry about that but I wanted to prove to you guys that I actually have been writing. Also, it was just a really good place to end a chapter so I went with it.__ ENJOY!_

"Tseng?" Reno spoke barely above a whisper, not wanting to disturb the still-sleeping girl. She'd slept the whole night in his lap and hadn't moved yet. Reno had no problem with that and wasn't about to wake her up just so he could move.

"What?" the man replied, handing the redhead a glass of orange juice with nothing more than the slightest trace of an amused smile on his face as he observed the two teenagers on his couch.

"That apartment you mentioned a few days ago…is it ready?"

"Yes, it is," Tseng settled into his favorite armchair, laying his jacket carefully over the top. He was ready for work, wearing the white button-up, suit pants and tie the dress code called for. "You feel well enough to leave my supervision?" The man sipped his coffee.

"Wait a minute," Reno frowned at the glass in his hand and the mug in Tseng's, "Why do you get coffee and I get juice?" Tseng smiled.

"A number of reasons, actually. Orange juice is very high in Vitamin C, which, as I'm sure you know, is vital to your immune system and you need all the help recovering you can get. Reason number two: I do not want to see you on caffeine. Also, children drink juice and you a hardly more than a child," Tseng smiled serenely, taking another sip of coffee.

"What?" Reno demanded, lowering his voice in lieu of raising it, "I'm _so_ not a child!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that offended you," the man couldn't help but smirk slightly, "Why don't you come over here and hit me?" Reno narrowed his eyes. Both of them knew very well that Reno wasn't going anywhere. With a glare sharp enough to slice through diamonds, the redhead slowly raised the orange juice to his lips and took a gulp, somehow managing to make it threatening.

"Anyway, did you have something in mind regarding your new apartment?" Tseng questioned innocently.

"What, did you think I was going to make her go back home?" Reno said, "Somebody's got to look out for her."

"True," Tseng nodded, "You know, just the sight of you two seemed to melt some of the glacier surrounding Myka's heart."

"Shut up," the redhead muttered, turning to his orange juice for an excuse to look away as his cheeks colored ever so slightly.

"Well, I've got to head out now," Tseng got up and began pulling on his jacket, "We should bring her to the infirmary and let them take a look at her." Reno nodded, regretfully waking Elena up with a gentle nudge. She mumbled something unintelligible, buried her face in his chest, and froze for a second before slowly sitting up and looking at him with wide eyes.

"Oh, hi," she smiled awkwardly, hurrying out of his lap, "Ow!" She winced, quickly removing the weight she'd placed on her sprained ankle.

"Be careful," Reno cautioned, getting up and stretching before crouching in front of her and examining her swollen ankle, "We're going to take you to Shinra's infirmary. They'll be able to help with this sprain and anything else I may have missed." He smiled up at her and she couldn't help but smile back. He was so cute, smiling up at her, his aquamarine eyes sparkling in the soft, morning sunlight that drifted into the room, illuminating his pale face and fiery red hair. She had to fight the urge to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"We have the upper-hand right now and we want to keep it that way," Tseng had turned all business once the Turks were settled in their private and highly posh conference room, "We know that Don Corneo was behind the attack on the President, but he is unaware that we have this knowledge. Actually, the fact that we haven't done anything about it for this long is probably only helping that illusion right now."

Reno's mind was preoccupied with Elena, whom they'd left in the infirmary while the Turks had a meeting to get back to business. There were a number of incidents requiring their attention, including the recent invasion of Shinra headquarters.

"The Don was probably looking for us to react immediately and the fact that we didn't makes it appear as though we don't know what's going on," Tseng continued, "If he expected us to discover he was behind it, this has probably confused him and messed up whatever plans he had. If not, he's probably let down his guard by now, assuming he's won this round."

"So why don't we just go on down there, muscle our way in, and scare the shit outta him like usual and be done with it?" Daniel queried. Reno glanced back to Tseng curiously. It sounded like a good enough plan, but the man was shaking his head.

"Obviously something gave him the nerve to strike at us so boldly and it would be extremely unwise to take such direct action without re-evaluating the Don's status as a threat."

"Um, yeah, question," Reno drummed his long, thin fingers on the shiny table, "What about those scientists we were spying on? That whole thing about missing DNA samples or something?"

"Ah yes, I haven't forgotten about that," Tseng pulled a file from the small stack he had with him and flipped through it, "We've been working on that while you've been ill and haven't made much progress."

"By 'haven't made much progress', Tseng means we've all had to stare at boring scientists doing boring scientist things for days now," Myka rolled her eyes, "They're all nerds anyway, I'm sure we could frighten them into telling us who took it."

"Possibly," Tseng gave the woman a stern look, "But that's all the information we'd get. We wouldn't ever discover the truth behind why it was stolen and if there's something more… dangerous behind it. So we shall continue our current line of investigating and see what we come up with."

"Yay! More boring surveillance!" Daniel cheered sarcastically, slumping his head into his arms on the table. "When will anything cool actually happen?"

"Be careful what you wish for," Talan responded ominously, surprising everyone by speaking.

"Uh, yes," Tseng broke the awkward silence that had briefly gripped the group. Talan had that affect on people. "Well, never fear, Myka and Daniel, I'm going to have Reno work on that mission while he continues to recuperate. The rest of us will focus our attention on the situation with Don Corneo. That will likely be more interesting, or at least a change of scenery so hopefully the two of you can continue to be _entertained_ by your _jobs_." Tseng's pointed statement clearly implied it was time to shut up.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Finished with all your super secret plans?" Elena asked teasingly when Reno sat on the couch next to her. He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, world domination and all that. What have you been up to?"

"Reading a magazine," Elena gestured to the fashion magazine in her lap, "And wondering what the hell I'm going to do now. I don't think Tseng wants me living on his couch permanently." Reno looked surprised.

"You're livin' with me. Obviously." It was Elena's turn to look surprised. "What, did ya think I'd make ya go back to live with your dad? Or simply turn ya out on the street?"

"That…that would be amazing," she finally said, sounding relieved. Her eyes started to get teary. "Thank you, Reno. For everything." The redhead her starting to become emotional.

"Hold on there," he grinned, "Don't thank me yet! You've got to cook because I sure as hell can't." Elena laughed, blinking away tears before they fell.

"Of course I'll cook! I actually like cooking when no one, well, throws the dishes at me."

"Well that's settled then," Reno put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, "Can you start today?"


	13. Chapter 13

_Author's Note: MWUHAHAHAHAHA! Did I not say I would update again soon? It's still not super long, but I thought you would all appreciate reading this as soon as possible. =DDDD You can thank me later. In a review. For now, just read! Enjoy!_

"Crap," Reno muttered around the flashlight he held between his teeth, glancing at the watch on his wrist as it counted down. Time was running out. The air vent he was currently suspended in was starting to feel cramped. Working faster, he got the bomb secured to the wall and the countdown started.

"Awesome," he mumbled, taking the flashlight in his hand and pointing it down to where the rope he was harnessed to disappeared down the long shaft. He began sliding down the rope, faster than was recommended, but time was going fast and he had another bomb to place.

"Screw it," Reno made a split-second decision when his gaze fell upon a grate in the side of the air duct several feet below him and coming up fast. Based on the blue-prints he'd memorized, that was the floor the target was on. More specifically, that was the hall that was most heavily guarded and their plans had been built around avoiding it. Reno traded the flashlight in his hand for a smoke grenade and pulled the pin. Within seconds, he was next to the grate and used the momentum of his speedy descent to help kick it out from the wall. He slid through the opening without stopping, hugging the floor as closely as possible just as the grenade started to release a smoke screen. From there, everything was plunged into chaos.

Shouts erupted and booted feet ran everywhere in a panic, tumbling over each other as everyone searched for the intruder. Shots were fired blindly into the smoke, effectively getting many of the guards caught in friendly fire. By the time the air cleared, the hall was filled with injured men, none of them Reno. The redhead was long gone, running down the halls, empty now because all the guards had run towards the smoke. It didn't take long for him to break into the fancy office and carefully arm the final bomb. He shot the lock off the file cabinet and dug through it hurriedly, grabbing the several files labeled "top secret". Reno could hear feet approaching swiftly so he shut the office door and shoved the desk in front of it, hoping that would hold them back for just a moment. Shoving the files in the black backpack strapped firmly to his back, he removed a coil of rope and equipment, quickly anchoring the line in the floor. The door began to quiver as the guards tried to force their way in. Confident that the set-up would hold his weight, Reno made a few last minute adjustments to the harness attaching him to the rope. The desk behind the door started to budge and the door abruptly burst open.

Grinning, Reno held his arms in front of his face protectively as he turned and threw himself as hard as he could through the floor-to-ceiling glass window. For a moment, he was free-falling along with thousands of tiny bits of sparkling glass until he began to gently take control of and slow his descent. He'd just missed the spray of bullets that had gone through the shattered glass mere seconds after he had. Just as his feet were touching the ground, the whole building was rocked by several simultaneous explosions from the multiple bombs he'd placed in strategic locations during the mission. Instead of running like hell, Reno stood and smirked, admiring his handiwork as it all slowly melted away, leaving a small, empty, black-walled room.

"Now that's a pretty good video game," Reno commented as a door-sized panel in the wall slid back, admitting Tseng and the other Turks.

"Isn't it fun?" Daniel looked just as excited as Reno was, "They don't let me play with it anymore. Apparently it's not a toy, it's strictly for training."

"Impressive, but technically you failed," Tseng interjected, "You disobeyed orders. This is a reoccurring problem with you. Why do you always find yourself doing the one thing you're specifically told not to do?"

"Come on, Tseng! It's called improvising!" Reno grinned. "I evaluated the situation, and made necessary, minor adjustments to the plan without asking or informing anyone!" The redhead smiled innocently. Tseng just stared at him with the slightly bewildered but stern look he often found himself wearing when looking at Reno.

"You jeopardized the entire mission, and your life, by entering a heavily occupied area that you escaped only through sheer luck. This area was specifically noted as being an unviable means of entry and you were forbidden from going there."

"Tseng," Reno put an arm around the man's shoulders in a friendly manner, "I'm one of those naturally creative people who simply can't help but cover everything around them with their distinctive and unique style. It really can't be helped." The redhead looked at the other man with a deceptively innocent smile on his face.

"There's a stack of overdue paperwork waiting for you," Tseng commented calmly, walking away with a slight smirk of his own.

"Why do I feel like I'm being grounded?" Reno complained, shoving his hands in his pockets and following slowly.

"Maybe because you're acting like a child," Tseng couldn't help but throw this comment over his shoulder with a smile.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Wanna play some paintball after work?" Daniel appeared in the open doorway to the office where Reno sat working through his paperwork at a snail's pace, "We can start at the first floor and take out all the security guards until we get to the President's office!"

"Can't," Reno shook his head, "Elena said she was making something special for dinner and I couldn't be late." It had been a little over two weeks since Elena had moved in with Reno and, although it was still awkward for some reason, the set-up was working out very well.

"Oh, just get married already," Myka wasn't far behind Daniel, "You guys are seriously such a married couple." Reno couldn't keep the grin or the slight blush off his face and it didn't escape their notice.

"You like her, don't you?" Daniel teased, a huge smile growing on his face, "_Really_ like her."

"Well, of course he does, idiot," Myka smacked Daniel on the back of the head, "That's obvious."

"Yeah, but I wanna hear him say it! You know you do, Reno, just indulge me."

"I'm trying to work here," Reno stated with all the aloofness he could muster, "Quit bothering me."

"That's basically a confession right there," Myka added, starting to enjoy this as much as Daniel was. It wasn't often that one got the chance to tease Reno and have him actually care.

"I'm gonna text her and tell her," Daniel pulled his phone out of his pocket and started typing.

"No! Stop!" Reno flew out of his chair with speed he reserved for life-and-death situations and grabbed at Daniel's phone. Laughing, the man jerked it out of his way and continued to type his message. The two ended up locked in a struggled for possession of the phone.

"So you don't like her?" Myka asked. "Because I can text her right now and let her know gently."

"I hate you both!" Reno cried out, desperately trying to stop both Myka and Daniel at the same time.

"What the hell is going on here?" Tseng demanded from the hallway, attracted by the scuffle. Reno, Myka, and Daniel all replied at the same time.

"They won't let me do my paperwork!"

"Reno won't admit he likes Elena, so I'm telling her for him."

"He won't let Daniel tell Elena he likes her, so I'm letting her down gently since that must mean he doesn't like her." Myka smiled happily. There was an awkward silence as Tseng stared at them all. Finally he sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"I really do work with children. You are all behaving like ten year olds. Daniel, Myka, leave Reno alone to do his paperwork and do not text anyone anything. Reno, do your paperwork."

"But he does need to admit he likes her, right?" Daniel tucked his phone away in his pocket obediently.

"Oh, definitely," Tseng answered without a moment's hesitation, "I think everyone would feel much better if you would just get that out of the way, Reno." The redhead's jaw dropped.

"Anyway," Myka grabbed Daniel's arm, "Daniel can't play paintball with you after all, he's busy tonight."

"I'm busy?" Daniel looked surprised, than spoke quickly, "Yeah, ok, I'm busy." Tseng raised an eyebrow as the two abandoned harassing Reno.

"This job is taking years off my life…" he muttered as he wandered back into his office.

Reno settled back at the desk, trying to ignore the recent escapade and all its implications, until he remembered an important little detail. Elena didn't have a phone. They couldn't have texted her at all.

"Crap," he ran his fingers through his messy red hair. That must have only made it more hilarious for them. _And obvious…_ Apparently everyone knew things about his feelings that he didn't even know. He glanced at the clock. It was a little early, but he could still leave. He needed a nice, long walk home to sort things out. _Elena…_

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"You damned oven!" Elena shouted, letting the hot pan clatter unceremoniously onto the counter, its blackened contents smoking and letting off a distinctly unsavory odor. She knew, even as she was shouting, that it wasn't the oven's fault. Elena could cook, it was just hard to get used to actually caring about how things turned out. When she'd cooked just for herself and her father, she went for easy, quick, and at least edible. During the past two weeks however, she'd been cooking for Reno and she'd been striving for delicious, creative, and perfection. Somehow, the harder she tried, the worse it got. Nothing had been really bad so far, but she'd always been disappointed in herself and today's screw up was the final straw. None of it had been going well and she didn't have time to fix any of it. Pulling off her dirty apron roughly she threw it with excessive force into the corner and sunk into the opposite one, hot tears pouring down her cheeks.

All she wanted was to make something nice for Reno. He'd been like her own personal angel ever since she'd met him and she couldn't ignore it any longer: she was madly, desperately in love with the redhead. She'd known it in the back of her head for quite some time, but within the first few days of living with him she'd realized it immediately. She went weak in the knees every time she saw him, thought about him even. She couldn't stop blushing around him and she found herself staring at him all the time. She wanted to make everything in his life absolutely perfect and she couldn't even manage to make him decent food.

Reno wrinkled his nose at the burning smell that hit him the moment he walked into the apartment. He walked into the kitchen wondering what was up. Elena was normally a great cook. He quickly took in the chaotic scene before him. The kitchen was a mess, a pan of burnt food on the counter, Elena's apron tossed in the corner and the girl herself huddled in the other, shoulders shaking, knees curled up to her chest and head down. A frown appeared on his face and he hurried over to her.

"Elena, are you ok?" He crouched in front of her and took her hands, looking for burns while she glanced up at him, startled.

"I ruined dinner!" she sobbed, his selfless concern for her only adding to her misery at this point, "I wanted it to be perfect but it…its not!" Reno let go of her hands, feeling vaguely amused that something so trivial had bothered her so much, but something else had most of his attention. _Holy crap, I love this girl. _It hit him like a brick wall and he sat down next to her heavily. He'd realized it on his way home but it had just really sunk in and he felt almost dizzy.

"I'm sorry," Elena said quietly, mistaking his reaction for irritation. Reno turned his head and glanced at her for a moment, her tear-streaked face looking up at him pitifully. Unable to resist the urge, Reno abruptly leaned in, placing his hands lightly on her face and pressing a kiss on her lips. His heart thudding quickly in his chest, he took his lips off hers just long enough to whisper a few words.

"I don't give a damn about dinner, love." This time when he kissed her, she kissed him back, her hands finding their way to his shirt collar and holding on. Reno pulled away slowly, reluctantly, a hesitant look on his face. "Sorry," he whispered, "I…shouldn't have done that without…asking." Elena was still in shock and still holding onto his collar, barely processing his words. The boy's brilliant aquamarine eyes stared into her own with a slight look of dismay while Elena shook her head slowly.

"Boys are so stupid. You didn't have to ask me," she pulled him back towards her, delighting in another kiss that he eagerly participated in. "Come on," she couldn't hide her huge smile and she didn't try to, hopping off the floor and grabbing his hand, dragging him after her as she hurried out of the kitchen.

"Elena, where…" Reno was completely confused as the girl almost ran out of the apartment and up a flight of stairs.

"The sun is setting," she explained, bursting through the door to the roof of the building and letting it slam behind them as she whirled around to throw her arms around Reno's neck, standing on tiptoe to reach his mouth.

By the time the sun had set and the stars and city lights had taken over with their own distinctive beauty, the two were settled comfortably against the brick wall, Elena sitting between Reno's legs, leaning back against his chest. He had his arms around her waist and her head rested on his shoulder.

"I love you," Reno broke the contented silence easily, kissing the top of her head. Elena reached a hand up and drew his long ponytail over his shoulder to play with the ends lazily.

"I've loved you since I met you," Elena replied softly, "I'm just not sure why it took so long for me to figure it out. Took you longer." She teased, poking his chest playfully. He grinned, holding her hand so she couldn't poke him anymore.

"Sorry. I'll make it up to you somehow."

"You've already done more for me than I could ever repay," Elena said seriously, turning to face him and crouching on her knees. She leaned forward and indulged in another slow kiss, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"Can I walk you home?" Reno grinned up at her. She pretended to think about it.

"Alright."

"And since you've been such a gentleman," Elena said once they were back in the apartment and near her bedroom door, "You may kiss me good night." She waited expectantly, heart pounding and with baited breath. Even after doing almost nothing _but_ kissing Reno for the past hour and a half, it was still an incredibly exciting prospect. He wrapped his arms around her waist slowly, pulling her close, and leaned in until their lips almost touched. There he paused for an agonizing moment and moved by, putting his mouth near her ear.

"Sleep well, 'Laney," he whispered, "I'll see ya in the mornin'." And then he was gone. _Wait…isn't it the woman who's supposed to leave the guy wanting more?_ Elena thought, completely stupefied.

_Author's Note: =D See? Said you would like it. Couple of things I want to bring up though...the crazy training holograph whatever room... I have no idea how that would work but before you discredit it completely, I swear there's something like it in FFVII so take it up with them. =P Also, if their interactions at any point seem almost childish, please keep in mind that's not an accident. I'm going for a younger, more innocent feel with this story (even though they're not that much younger in this one than I usually write them...whatever!). Also, in case it was unclear, all they've done is kiss. xD The relationship is totally PG right now. Sorry. =P So, with those notes out of the way, I HOPE YOU ALL LOVE THIS AS MUCH AS I DO. Feel free to tell me. The review button is roughly directly under this. Love to hear from ya'll! =D _


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's Note: Another update! Hurray! Sorry about the delay, I got distracted for a few days. My room is in the midst of a remodel right now, and when my room is in disarray, so is my mind! I've been trying to get it all sorted before I start my classes this summer so that I won't be distracted from that. I've also been spending a lot of time with my sister who's also home from college for the summer so that's filled many of my nights. I'll do my best to get the next update up sooner, and hopefully it will also be longer! Anyway, enjoy! AND REVIEW! =)_

An annoying buzz surfaced on the edges of Reno's consciousness, its intermittent appearances slowly destroying the comfortable half-awake, half-asleep state he was in, images of making-out with Elena being replaced with a distinctly less enjoyable reality. Picking his head up sleepily from the pillow he was laying on top of, the redhead laid his disapproving gaze upon his cell that was buzzing with irritating cheerfulness. Muttering curses, he reached a long arm out to grab it, noting the call was from Tseng. He glanced at the clock. _Only 7:30._ So he wasn't late.

"Why are you awake?" Reno answered his phone with an untraditional greeting, letting his head flop back down on the pillow underneath him.

"Why _aren't _you?" Tseng countered quickly.

"'Cause the sun ain't completely up yet," the redhead mumbled, already starting to fall asleep again.

"It's a beautiful day! I don't want to miss a single moment of it. I've already been out for a run and at work for thirty minutes now."

"Ugh, shut up. Morning people should…never be allowed to drink coffee," Reno tacked on the worst punishment he could think of at the moment. It was too early for clever banter.

"I actually prefer tea," Tseng replied cheerfully, "I just wanted to tell you to bring Elena with you to work today. There's something I want to discuss with her. And you, I suppose."

"What?" Reno was suddenly interested.

"I'll tell you when you get here," Tseng smiled to himself, "Maybe that will motivate you to be on time."

"Not fair!"

"Goodbye, Reno. See you soon." Tseng hung up, leaving Reno to drop the phone from his ear, intrigued, but still sleepy. Curling up, he hugged the pillow under him closer and grinned like an idiot, remembering the previous evening. He also suddenly remembered that the previous evening had not involved dinner. Cracking an eye open, he sighed, realizing he probably wasn't going to get anymore sleep for now. Dragging his shirtless self from bed sluggishly, he ran his hands through his disheveled red hair while looking around for a t-shirt. Snatching one off the end of his bed and pulling it quickly over his head, Reno abandoned his bedroom in search of breakfast.

Walking around the kitchen on silent feet for fear of waking Elena, Reno did his best to clean up the mess that was still there from last night. Regrettably, cleaning was not one of Reno's natural skills so it wasn't much better once he was done with it, but he was satisfied. Not big on tables, Reno hopped lightly up onto the counter to eat his cereal, legs dangling over the edge. He glanced around the kitchen, marveling at how different it was from his old apartment. Then his gaze fell upon Elena in the doorway and he grinned. _Much different. Better._ She hovered in the doorway, her plush bathrobe and matching slippers hinting that she had also just woken up. She looked slightly surprised to see him and immediately started trying to smooth her messy hair.

"Reno! You're up early," she commented, a smile tugging at her mouth just at the sight of the redhead. He nodded.

"Tseng woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep," he answered.

"What did he want?" she frowned. She knew it was unusual for Tseng to call this early.

"He wants you to come with me," Reno shrugged, "Wouldn't tell me why."

"What do you think it is?" she asked, preparing her own bowl of cereal.

"No idea," he answered truthfully, setting his bowl down on the counter and sliding down, "But I wouldn't worry about it." He slipped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist almost hesitantly. He wasn't used to being able to hold her whenever he wanted.

"You're not worrying are you?" he asked, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Well not anymore," she smiled, turning in his arms to kiss him properly, one hand resting on his chest and absentmindedly running her fingers over one of the matching scars on his face with the other.

"Are we gonna do this?" Reno whispered seriously once their lips separated, their foreheads leaning against each other.

"Do what?" Elena asked cautiously, feeling out of breath and staring down at his chest, the muscles well-defined even beneath the t-shirt. There was a moment of silence while Reno obviously tried to choose his words.

"Well…people don't usually live together for awhile. I don't want you to be…uncomfortable." Elena could tell the topic was awkward for him, and honestly she found it a bit awkward but she was still grateful he'd brought it up. He went on after a moment's silence. "I'd never do anything, _anything_ that would hurt you in any way, but you have to help me. If I ever do something that makes you uncomfortable, just let me know and I'll stop, ok?"

"Reno," Elena began, touched and also amused by his concerns, "I trust you. I know you're not going to try anything unless you're sure I'm ok with it."

"Ok," Reno bit his lip, relieved that she understood exactly what he meant, "So can I kiss you?" She laughed outright at this.

"Of course."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"So whatcha want with us, boss man?" Reno smirked, walking into Tseng's office, letting go of Elena's hand at the last possible moment to keep Tseng from seeing. Tseng glanced up at the two young people in his office, taking in their facial expressions, body language, and general attitudes in a matter of moments. He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you seem to have taken Daniel's advice to heart," Tseng said.

"What do you mean?" Reno looked confused, thrown off by the mysterious comment. Tseng gestured to the two of them meaningfully.

"I mean your feelings for Elena, obviously," Tseng's explanation was rewarding with blushes from both of them, Elena's much deeper than Reno's. The girl ducked her head and unconsciously moved slightly behind the redhead in embarrassment.

"Oh…" Reno couldn't help but grin, reaching back to take Elena's hand, "So much for not telling anyone."

"Oh please, as if we all wouldn't notice immediately," Tseng waved a hand dismissively, "Anyway, have a seat and we'll discuss why I wanted Elena here." Tseng dug through a small stack of files on his desk while they seated themselves in the comfy leather chairs. Reno propped his combat-boot-clad feet up on the desk, earning a hard stare from Tseng until he gently eased them off the pristine surface. Smiling once again, Tseng flipped open the file he'd selected from the pile.

"I take it you've simply been remaining at home while Reno comes to work, correct?" He directed his statement to Elena. She nodded, still completely mystified.

"I understand your reluctance to return to the school you'd attended until…recently, but I can't in good conscience allow you to drop out."

"Why not?" Reno asked abruptly, "You don't force me to go to school."

"You are a different case, Reno," Tseng clarified, "You've been taking care of yourself your whole life, you're used to it. Elena, on the other hand, should complete her education, enabling her to get a decent job and support herself, should the need arise."

"Um, I agree with you," Elena spoke up, "But I don't want to go back there. He knows where my school is." Her voice lowered as she mentioned her father and Reno squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"Of course, I had no intention of sending you back there," Tseng said, "There's a school, belonging to Shinra, designed for the specific purpose of handling the children of high-level Shinra employees. It's another of the unique services offered freely as a benefit. The logic behind it is that anyone close to an employee who potentially deals with sensitive matters could become a target, used as leverage against that employee. Its simply another security measure to ensure Shinra's secrets stay under lock and key. The President's own son attends this school. Considering the situation, I believe it is the ideal location for Elena."

"You're not talking about the Shinra Military Academy, are you?" Reno looked skeptical and Elena looked positively alarmed when the word "military" appeared.

"No, this is a completely separate establishment. All the students are children of Shinra employees and all the teachers are selected carefully and undergo rigorous background checks. It actually has no equal in quality of education. I think you'll enjoy it very much, Elena."

"Ok, this sounds great except for one tiny detail," Elena said, "I'm not the child of a Shinra employee." Reno and Elena looked at Tseng with expectant expressions, while the man simply smirked at them both.

"Ah, I forgot to mention that. I'll be posing as Elena's father," Tseng glanced at his watch, "As a matter of fact, our meeting with the Principal is in half an hour. Shall we?" He stood up and motioned towards the door while Reno and Elena stared at him.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Well, that was easy," Tseng commented, straightening his perfectly positioned tie as they left the Principal's office.

"Yeah, you probably didn't need to have the charm on full blast," Reno smirked.

"Reno, it never hurts to be gentlemanly to a lady," Tseng smiled, evidently pleased with himself, "Elena, what are your impressions?"

"I think I'm going to like it," she said optimistically, "It's a lot nicer than my old school, but I'm afraid I might be a bit behind the other people."

"I wouldn't worry," Tseng assured her, "The school is also unique in that it has a very few basic courses that are actually required while otherwise students are encouraged to learn about things they are interested in. This gives the individual students more time to pursue those topics they enjoy, are good at, or plan to work in. So all you need to do is pass the basic courses of the important subjects."

"That's fantastic!" Elena looked positively elated, "I hate math!"

"I dunno," Reno looked skeptical, "School is still school."

"Watch out, Reno," Tseng smiled, "I can be your father too." Before Reno could fabricate a clever retort, Tseng's phone buzzed and he answered it immediately.

"Daniel? What is it?" Tseng listened for a moment, his face growing more grim by the second, "Alright, we'll be there soon." Hanging up, he turned to Reno and Elena, both of whom were watching with interest.

"What's up?" Reno questioned as Tseng hurried them on towards the car.

"We have a situation," Tseng answered curtly, "We'll discuss it back at headquarters." The ride back to the main Shinra building was filled with a tense silence, Tseng focused on the road, a foreboding look on his face. Elena simply remained silent, as she felt she didn't belong in Turk business and Reno was lost in thought as he tried to decipher exactly what the problem was. He knew Daniel had been gone with Myka most of the time over the past few days, doing recon on Don Corneo. Talan had also been working on this project, but no one had come up with anything of interest yet. The Don had experienced greater success in the drug trade since their almost failed sting operation that had effectively dealt with the largest drug ring in Midgar.

As they hurried into the building, Elena grabbed Reno's sleeve and pulled him back a little. Reno slowed and turned back to smile at her, a curious look on his face.

"Um, you guys are busy," she said, noticing Tseng had stopped at was watching them, trying not to look impatient, "I know the way home from here, why don't I just go?" A small, anxious frown appeared on Reno's forehead. He didn't like her walking anywhere alone, and she knew it.

"If you want to," he said reluctantly, pulling her into a hug, "Just call me when you get home."

"I'll be fine," Elena smiled to herself, amused and touched by how much he worried about her. Conscious that Tseng was watching, Reno only gave her a light kiss.

"Love you, 'Laney," he whispered in her ear, grinning back at her as he jogged off after Tseng who was already waiting in the elevator at this point. Elena waved, watching until the mirrored elevator doors hid the redhead from view before she turned and left the sleek and shiny lobby.

"Alright, tell me what's going on," Tseng started speaking before they'd even entered the Turks' lounge where the other three were gathered. Daniel had bandages wrapped around his upper left arm, the white t-shirt he wore under his uniform sporting blood stains on the edge of the sleeve. Myka had his jacket and white button-up shirt folded loosely in her lap and she was looking at the young man with a worried frown. Talan stood leaning against the wall at a distance from the others, on the fringe of things as his personality dictated.

"Shut the door," Daniel said and Reno instantly complied, taking a seat and leaning forward eagerly when the door clicked closed. Daniel sighed and rubbed his chin, wearing an unusually solemn expression.

"We may have a traitor in a high-up position here at Shinra," he spoke slowly and quietly. There was a moment of deep silence as the full meaning of the statement hit them. Myka, having been with Daniel, was the only one who didn't look surprised and even Talan looked interested, taking a few steps closer.

"What?" Tseng seemed shocked, but still spoke quietly, as if the traitor might be outside the door this very instant, listening in on their conversation. Myka nodded and Daniel continued.

"We've been cornering some of the Don's guys and scaring what we can out of 'em for awhile now, but like you now, we haven't found much of use. Either there's nothing major that's changed with the Don, or he's finally managed to get completely trustworthy thugs." The look on Daniel's face showed just how likely all of them thought the latter possibility to be. There wasn't a person in Midgar that wouldn't spill even a little something to a Turk if he or she asked.

"We finally found a guy that had something interesting to say," Myka picked up the story, "He said he'd overheard something from a private conversation between Corneo and his second-hand man. Something about a Shinra employee getting them into headquarters, basically giving them their whole plan. We all know the Don isn't that openly aggressive to Shinra. He'd never have decided to do that on his own."

"He wouldn't have risked it unless he was sure," Tseng murmured, all the pieces starting to fit together in his mind, "Unless he had a sort of guarantee that the plan would work. And it would have, if not for Reno. It was quick, sophisticated, and required an intimate knowledge of our security procedures to pull off."

"Since when has quick and sophisticated been involved in _anything_ Corneo has done?" Daniel pointed out.

"Its not his style," Talan confirmed, a frown on his face as he mused over this information.

"Someone gave him information about our security and gave him the plan to use?" Reno's eyes were wide. This was a serious problem.

"We didn't get much else out of the guy," Myka shook her head, "Someone shot and killed him while he was still talking and then tried to kill us to. They hit Daniel." She gestured to the man's arm. Tseng raised his eyebrows.

"So he evidently knew something they were concerned about us knowing," Tseng rubbed his hands together slowly, "Which only makes what he says more believable." Tseng sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he always did when he was annoyed or stressed out. "Alright, new priorities. Reno, you will still pursue the missing DNA samples because we need to report to people about that one, but the rest of us, myself included, shall renew our efforts and focus on finding out whatever we can about this traitor from Don Corneo's men. Its very important that we keep this quiet. We have no idea who the informer is, and if the rumor gets to him or her, they'll become more guarded. So…back to work. Daniel, you can take the rest of the day off." Tseng gestured to the bullet wound in the man's arm.

"No thanks, I'm good," Daniel responded, slipping his damaged shirt and jacket back on, "They've got me medicated so it doesn't hurt. It wasn't that bad anyway. This is too important for me to just sit at home. I'd go mad!"

"As you like," Tseng shrugged.

"Wait a second," Reno interjected, "Stalking scientists all day is boring as crap! I feel like this traitor business is a lot more important!"

"Yes, I'd love your help on this one," Tseng explained, "But we actually have people waiting on and expecting results from your investigations. Speaking of which, have you found anything interesting yet?"

"Nothin'! They just don't _do_ anythin'."

"Well, I'm sorry, but we need to make progress on that mission and soon. You'll have to keep at it."

"Fine…" Reno was clearly disappointed, "Well, call me if you find anythin' interesting."

"Likewise," Tseng said. Reno rolled his eyes. As if these scientists had done anything but work and sleep for the past two weeks.

_Author's Note: Sorry, this is a bit of an awkward part to end at, but I don't have anything ready to go beyond this! The plot's thickening though! That's always cool. Anyway, review if you love Reno! =D I'll do my best to update soon! I actually came and updated this because someone reviewed anonymously this morning and asked me to update. It reminded me. =) Never be afraid to remind me! I get forgetful...anyway, I'm off to try and cure my writers block and then write some! Much love!_


	15. Chapter 15

_Author's Note: Dude, so they totally gave the site a make-over...weird. Anyway, someone commented last time that the chapter was a little boring. And I have to agree. =) It all had to get done though, to set up this chapter which is FAR from boring! There is SO much plot advancement in this chapter its INSANE. So I'm not gonna waste anymore of your time, go ahead and read it! Let me know what you think. Its really important to know how you guys feel about what's going on here, since a large part of the rest of the story is related. So tell me what you think. =)_

Reno checked the piece of paper in his pocket with an address scrawled on it, even though he'd already memorized it. He was walking below the Plate, finally doing something other than watching scientists watch documentaries on things beyond his understanding while they fell asleep. One of Shinra's hackers had gotten everything there was to get from every computer used by the scientists on the mysterious project involving the missing DNA samples. Reno had spent an ungodly amount of time going through this information, sorting the interesting from the pointless. Finally, he'd found an address in an email that had just seemed suspicious to him from the start. Luckily, that particular piece of paper had narrowly avoided being turned into a paper airplane, a fate many of its fellows had suffered.

He was supposed to be watching another scientist, but instead he'd decided to investigate. He had to do something to console himself for how boring his assignment was when compared with what the others were doing. He'd come up with something to get back at them all. Maybe he'd staple all Tseng's papers to the desk, or break into Myka's apartment and fill all her shoes with jello. He smirked to himself, the tempting thoughts contenting him for now. Whatever, they could have their stupid mission. He had a random address to look into. _Probably some nerdy crap._ Blending in to the copious amount of shadow under the Plate, Reno sighed. He'd so much rather be at home, but after this afternoon's revelation, they would most likely be busier than ever. When Elena had called to let him know she was home, she'd asked what the big deal was, but he couldn't tell her. Not that she was the traitor, but he'd rather she not know anything she could get in trouble for. He had told her that he might be out late, as he often was. She was used to it, but he could tell she'd rather he be at home too. Reno's thoughts were interrupted by his arrival at the address.

It appeared to be an abandoned warehouse or office building at first glance, but Reno quickly noted the underlying good condition of the building, despite the boarded up windows and doors. Someone was keeping this building from falling apart, and that was a rare sight underneath the Plate. The building itself was acutely ordinary. There was nothing at all about it that would possibly make it stand out. That fact alone made Reno interested. Glancing around to see if anyone was watching, Reno slipped into an alley next to the building, jogging lightly and examining the structure from top to bottom. The faded bricks were decorated with old, chipped graffiti as were most of the buildings under the Plate. There wasn't even the slightest sign of life back here, making Reno wonder if there was even anyone in the building.

There was a backdoor, but the redhead avoided it like the plague. If there was any point of this whole place that would be guarded, it would be the backdoor. Standing still for a moment, Reno craned his head back, looking up at where the building reached feebly towards the intricate web of rusty steel that held the rest of the massive city from falling down on their heads. The windows weren't boarded past the second story. He could easily pry the old wooden planks from the wall if he wanted to, but what if someone was in the room on the other side? No, he wanted to be able to see where he was going before he got there. An un-boarded window was the best option. Scrutinizing the wall carefully, Reno picked the best start to spot and began to climb up the wall as quietly as possible. Fortunately, the old building provided plenty of holds and it wasn't long before Reno found himself clinging precariously next to a dirty glass window.

Slowly, he peeked around the edge into the room, hoping no one had passed by within and decided it was a great time to admire the trash-filled, dimly lit alley. The room looked exactly as you would expect it to, based on the appearance of the building exterior. A thick layer of dust covered worn floors and a broken desk sat at an awkward angle in the middle of the room, a lamp with no shade and broken bulb perched precariously on the surface. The door to the room was closed, thankfully. That would make it easier to get in without risking being seen.

"If anyone's even in this place and its not a total coincidence and waste of my time," Reno muttered to himself as he held on with one arm, using the other to slide the window open. Convenient that no one bothered to lock third-story windows. Careful not to disturb the dust on the windowsill, Reno slipped through the opening and landed silently on the wooden floorboards. He crinkled his nose at the musty odor pervading the area. With the window closed behind him, he turned his attention to the door, quickly realizing there wasn't anything interesting in this particular room. Instinctively crouching, Reno listened by the door for a moment, holding his breath. Hearing nothing, he twisted the knob carefully, opening the door as slowly as he could. Nothing exploded, no one came running, and there wasn't any shouting or screaming, so he assumed the coast was clear.

The slow progress was irking him, but he knew better than to simply prance in and run all over the place. He slipped into an empty hallway, closing the door behind him. The small click the knob made as it closed caused him to cringe and freeze for a moment, all his senses operating on high alert. The sound seemed so much louder in the midst of all this silence. Randomly choosing a direction to go, Reno crept down the hall, passing several more rooms. The ones with open doors all appeared much the same as the first and the redhead was beginning to believe the building really was abandoned when a sound suddenly caught his attention. The distinct hollow clink of footsteps on metal reached his ears. Tensing up and pressing close against the wall, Reno waited but the footsteps faded away, returning the hallway to the loudest silence Reno had ever experienced. He was listening so hard, he was confident he could hear the dust settling that had been kicked up by his feet.

It was hardly thirty seconds before Reno had found where the dusty hallways turned into a metal catwalk, high above a warehouse area. This was definitely where the footsteps had been walking. He'd have to be careful now. For the moment, his attention was still fixed on the floor a good distance beneath him. Finally, there was something really interesting. The huge room had a handful of people going about their separate tasks. _Is that a lab?_ Reno noted one corner of the room devoted to advanced-looking scientific equipment, racks of test tubes, and the classic jars of liquid bubbling away. Three or four people in white lab coats were working in this area, carefully handling the materials that were indistinguishable from this distance and in the inadequate lighting. _DNA samples?_ He was starting to think finding this address hadn't been a coincidence after all.

As intriguing as that was, another corner of the large room was more disturbing and made Reno frown. The rest of the people occupying the space below were gathered here, around a considerably sized and well-organized collection of weapons. Guns, knives, ammo, Reno even thought he saw some grenades. Whatever these people were up to, they were decently armed. He'd have to be careful. Backing into the shadows of the hallway, Reno pulled his phone out and stared at it, considering calling Tseng. _He'll just tell me to wait for back-up. I may as well figure out what's going on, and call him when I have real information._ Tucking the phone back into his pocket, Reno turned towards the metal catwalk once more, his heart rate picking up.

With a little effort, he was able to walk on the metal surface without making the echoing sounds the other footsteps had made. Even with that, Reno was worried about being seen. There wasn't nearly as much cover up here and he knew that at least one person had been walking in the area recently. Heading towards the lab, Reno's attention became more and more focused on what the figures in the long white coats were doing, his curiosity completely aroused. He paused directly above them, listening in on a conversation.

"Its definitely interesting," One scientist was saying, peering closely at a computer screen while another man paced nearby.

"But its not what we're looking for!" This man sounded irritated.

"How do you know?" The third scientist in the group spoke up, the only female among them. "We aren't sure exactly how they did it, so how do you know?"

"Its not even human DNA!" The irritated man stopped pacing to raise his voice at the woman.

"Well, whose to say its not an animal test subject?" The first scientist mused, turning his attention from the computer to a nearby microscope, examining a specimen closely.

"As if Shinra would care about testing DNA-altering drugs on humans," the second scientist scoffed, "They have no morals!" A metal door on the other side of the room below opened loudly with a startling bang, killing the conversation quickly as the three scientists hurried back to their own work stations without another word. The interruption reminded Reno that he shouldn't stay in the same place for too long, and he moved along swiftly, glancing briefly at the tall figure that came through the door, headed towards the group of men near the stocks of weapons. Based on the reaction of the people below, Reno guessed the newcomer ranked above them somehow.

As the redhead walked, he soon found himself in a darkened corner of the room, the space above and below seemingly unused. It was here that the sound of metallic footsteps appeared again. _Crap!_ His delay over the lab had allowed the footsteps to catch up with him, and looking over his shoulder, Reno laid eyes on the owner. It was a man, presumably a guard since he was simply walking laps up here and had a handgun holstered at his side. Reno looked forward again, to where the catwalk moved into a section of light. As close as the other man was, if he tried to sneak off that way, he'd surely be seen. There wasn't really anywhere to hide, but the walkway widened into more of a platform here in the corner and maybe if he slunk back in the shadows, the man would pass him by. Willing himself not to be seen, Reno held his breath while the man got closer and closer.

With a silent sigh of relief, Reno watched as the man passed by without so much as glancing in his direction. A moment after the guard had passed, Reno rose out of his crouch, intending to hurry back the way he'd come and inform Tseng of what he had learned. His booted foot brushed against a small old box of flimsy cardboard that tipped over, spilling its contents of equally old nails that clattered loudly on the metal platform and onto the concrete floor below.

"Shit!" Reno couldn't help but let a whispered curse escape, but if wouldn't have made a difference if he'd screamed it, the guard was already turning and had his gun out. Someone called out from below, checking with the guard to see what had caused the sound. The closest escape from the exposed catwalk area was another hallway like the one he'd come through. It was much closer, but the guard and his gun was between it and Reno.

Making a split decision as the guard began to answer the shout from below, the redhead sprinted the short distance remaining between himself and man, pulling the switchblade from his pocket as he went. Before the surprise of his attack wore off, Reno had given the man a cut across the back of his hand, making him drop the gun which Reno quickly kicked out of the man's reach. The weapon slid right off the edge of the catwalk and into the dark corner beneath. A startled cry left the man's lips, but he didn't lose much time pulling a knife of his own. The unintelligible shouts from the ground were increasing and Reno knew he didn't have much time before reinforcements joined them up here. He swung at the man again, hoping to relieve the guard of his knife as well as his gun, but the man evaded.

Seeing the movement on the ground out of the corner of his eye, Reno gave up on trying to disarm the man and instead simply attempted to dodge quickly around him. The narrow catwalk didn't give him much room to maneuver though, and the man was able to grab Reno's arm and jerk him back. Reno found a knife to his throat and, with a sudden surge of adrenaline, his self-preservation instinct took over. Without consciously planning his actions, Reno stabbed the man's arm, freeing himself from the tight grip as he stole the long knife that had been pressed against his skin a split-second before and whirled around, instinctively lashing out at his opponent.

Suddenly he was splashed with blood, the hot liquid spilling over his hands and staining his white shirt in seconds. Surprise halted him, and he stared as the man wavered where he stood for a moment, dark red blood pouring with disturbing swiftness from the gash across his throat before the man's knees buckled and he fell forward, falling against Reno. Horrified, the redhead couldn't back up quickly enough to keep the dead man from colliding with him, soaking Reno with even more crimson blood. Loud, metallic clangs filled Reno's ears, from the knife he dropped in shock and from the multiple pairs of feet running up the spiral staircase near the lab. _I killed him!_ The outcome was not one he had planned or intended, but Reno didn't have time to consider it further. He had to get out of here. _He's dead. I killed him._ The blood covering his hands and shirt made him feel sick and he ran, partially from the other people that were now after him and partially to get away from the dead body at his feet. _I killed him. _He'd never killed anyone before. He'd been in fights and certainly had hurt people before, but never actually killed someone.

A bullet pinged off the metal too close to his feet for comfort but Reno was soon safely out of sight in another set of hallways. It kept him from being shot at for the moment, but if he didn't hurry, they'd catch up to him. _I killed him._ He wanted to be sick. Trying desperately to shove the quickly rising inner turmoil to the back of his mind, Reno headed for the first window he saw, throwing it open and climbing out, hoping there would be enough handholds to keep him from having to jump. He didn't doubt he could survive jumping from three stories, but breaking a leg or two in the middle of a chase wasn't a very efficient way to escape.

He got about halfway down the wall before his pursuers reached the window. He had no choice but to jump the rest of the way before they had a chance to shoot him. Miraculously, he landed on his feet and, although the impact was incredibly jarring, nothing exploded in pain. Sprinting off at an adrenaline-fueled pace, Reno was soon out of danger but he didn't stop running, something about the speed seeming to help him escape his thoughts and recent memories.

When he surfaced from beneath the Plate, Reno was almost surprised to find it had become night. The cool night breeze was a pleasant change from the constantly stale air underneath. Stopping to catch his breath, Reno shuddered, catching sight of his bloody hands. He rubbed them furiously on his dark pants, but the action was pointless, hardly removing any of the red stain. Then he remembered his white shirt, now a brownish red. Trying not to be sick, Reno resisted the strong urge to take it off right then and there. Mindful of the eyes on him, less forgiving of a blood-stained man than the gazes beneath the Plate, he wrapped his jacket around himself, covering the shirt and shoving his hands in the pockets. He kept his head down and continued hurrying home, striving to wrap his head around what had just happened.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena glanced up in surprise when the door opened and quickly slammed shut again. She'd been curled up on the couch with a book and a warm cup of tea, but as soon as she caught sight of Reno, the book fell from her hands, landing on the floor with a thud. The redhead was leaning heavily against the door, sinking slowly to the ground, his head held in bloody hands. The whole front of his shirt had turned the brown color of dried blood.

"Gods, Reno, what happened?" She couldn't get off the couch fast enough, running to him and crouching in front of him. "Where are you hurt?" Her heart felt like it would explode out of her chest it was beating so fast as she took his hands, revealing his troubled face. Blood droplets were splattered over his face and neck.

"I'm…I'm not hurt," Reno wouldn't look at her, "Its not mine. The blood." Elena's racing heart began to slow slightly, but she was still confused.

"Whose is it?"

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that," Reno suddenly met her gaze, "I didn't want to kill him!" Elena's jaw dropped slightly. His intense aquamarine eyes begged her not to freak out.

"You…what?" she whispered, shocked.

"I was working, investigating something," he explained, "And…they had guards. He would have shot me. I just wanted to get away. I only meant to hurt him enough to escape. I didn't mean to…to kill him."

"That's self-defense, Reno," Elena said softly, watching his raw, turbulent emotions play clearly across his face. "Go change and come back to the kitchen. We need to clean you up." Elena quickly decided she could freak out later, right now Reno needed her to be calm and help him. She could only imagine how screwed up he must feel. Simply nodding, the redhead got up and walked towards his bedroom obediently. Wondering if she should call Tseng, Elena headed towards the kitchen to dig up some towels.

Reno soon reappeared, his blood-stained clothes replaced with sweatpants and a t-shirt. He sat wearily in a chair, staring down at his bloody hands that lay limply in his lap. Elena handed him a wet towel and he scrubbed viciously at his hands while she stood in front of him and wiped carefully at the spots on his face and neck.

"It was an accident," he spoke up suddenly, looking up at her pleadingly, "I'm sorry."

"Reno, its not your fault," she hugged him tightly, his head resting just below her chin. "He would have killed you if you hadn't defended yourself." She rubbed his shoulder soothingly, smiling slightly as his arms found their way around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

The scientists scurried back and forth from table to table, packing up delicate equipment and fussing at any of the men who failed to exercise the utmost caution when handling boxes of test tubes and chemicals. The atmosphere in the room was tense, to say the least, everyone rushing about, whisking away anything important and dousing the rest in kerosene. A small group stood apart in the center of the room, their mere stillness setting them apart from the rest. They made up for their lack of movement with noise however, everyone shouting at once.

"We don't even know who he worked for."

"How much time do we have? We have no way of knowing."

"It could be Shinra, Don Corneo, AVALANCHE, someone we aren't even aware of."

"They could be outside right now!"

"There's not time for this, let's torch everything and go while we still can."

"Silence!" One voice finally boomed above the rest with a commanding tone, instantly quieting the group. "I know who he was, and I know who he works for." Expectant and fearful faces turned towards their leader. "He's a Turk." There was a collective gasp and the frenzied chatter almost started up again, but the slightest movement of the leader's hand reminded them to keep their silence. "We have time. My informant in Shinra provides information on the Turks as well. The redhead…he's new, he won't know what to do."

"How can he be new?" One of the group spoke up. "He was creeping around the place and we had no damned clue. He was right up there with Clyde and the moron didn't even see him! And now he's dead!" The man jerked a finger up towards the catwalk where the cold body still lay. It would burn, along with everything else left in the building when they were through.

"That's where it gets interesting," the leader's eyes sparkled and he beckoned over one of the scientists, "There's a lot of talk about the new Turk. He's young, several years younger than the rest. But he's good. Suspiciously good." The man's voice had lowered, causing the other men to lean in instinctively to listen. "They say he's a natural fighter, he's got a killer instinct, he's faster than anything you've seen before, and a perfect shot. He can't miss. And that was before they started training him. He's perfect for Shinra's elite assassins. You might say he was born for it," the leader smiled cryptically and glanced pointedly at the scientist, "_Bred_ for it." That was all the suggestion needed to make the scientist's eyes gleam eagerly.

"Shinra's gotten much farther then we thought!" he exclaimed, "Please, we can't abandon this place, not yet! He'll surely come back and we have to be waiting, ready for him this time. I need to examine his DNA, see how they managed it." By this time the other scientists had gathered round, their precious test tubes forgotten for the moment with the promise of a real specimen.

"We'll be able to run tests, see how it works for real!" One of them gushed.

"I can't believe Shinra actually managed to successfully master the genetic modifications necessary to create super-soldiers," the woman smiled.

"Well, we don't know if they mastered it," the first scientist cautioned, "We'll have to run tests on the subject as well as DNA and tissue samples. I'll start drawing up plans right away." The three began to hurry back to their equipment, still chattering excitedly when the leader called them back.

"Wait, we can't risk staying here," he explained, watching their faces fall, but before they could protest, he continued, "I am happy you believe you've found what we're looking for, and I don't want to get in the way of your experiments. We'll relocate as planned and I'll find a way to get you your specimen." Contented, the scientists renewed their planning. Smiling cruelly to himself, the leader stalked out of the building, having given his final instructions. "I imagine it will be no trouble at all to subdue you, Reno," he spoke under his breath, "Consider it payback for eradicating my drug business."

_Author's Note: So? What did you think? TELL ME! Review and tell me what you think, how you feel, predictions, your favorite kind of cupcake, whatever you want. Lots of stuff going on! Ok...looking forward to hearing from you! =D_


	16. Chapter 16

_Author's Note: UPDATE! Sorry it took so long, I had some serious writer's block issues! I wrote and re-wrote the last half of this review three times. I just didn't like it! Anyway, this chapter has some fluff, and some action! Hopefully we've struck a good balance! Also, are any of you familiar with the group that does cosplays of the Turks and Rufus that calls themselves "Turkish Delights"? Look 'em up on youtube (their channel is called "the delightful ones" I think). They've got some pretty funny stuff! Helped me cure my writer's block! _

Elena woke up suddenly, unsure of what had pulled her from her peaceful sleep. Seeing the pattern created on her bed by the moonlight crawling through the cracks in her curtains, the girl wondered if this was the cause. She'd lived her whole life under the Plate where complete darkness reigned at night. Since living with Reno, she'd been woken up by the amount of light in her room at night a few times. She wasn't annoyed by it at all, she was still just happy to be experiencing moonlight. Deciding to get some water while she was up, Elena slid quietly from between the sheets, her toes touching the cold hardwood floors lightly.

She was halfway to the kitchen before she noticed him. The big, curtain-less windows in the living room allowed a large portion of the floor to be bathed in the frosty blue-tinged moonlight. Sitting, with his knees pulled up to his chest, in the middle of this glowing square was Reno. He was staring up and out the window, the soft light making the pale skin of his bare upper body seem even whiter and stand in sharp contrast to the black sweatpants he always slept in. His long ponytail snaked far down his spine. Elena stopped walking abruptly, surprised to see him there. He showed no sign of having noticed her, but she knew he was aware of her presence. He had definitely heard her get up and walk by less than ten feet from him.

Abandoning her drink of water for the moment, Elena slipped over, quietly sitting down next to him, her shoulder just brushing his. She followed his gaze out the window and found herself looking up at the full moon, hanging delicately in the dark sky and shining brightly.

"Its beautiful, isn't it?" She whispered, something about night seeming to require hushed voices. She felt him nod.

"And so are you." Reno turned to look at her. The white light made her seem to glow, the blonde hair on her head only adding to her angelic appearance. He grinned slightly when he saw the way she bit her lip and the smile that pulled at her mouth at the compliment. She was still staring up at the moon, apparently unaware that he was looking at her now.

"You're not so bad looking yourself." Elena replied, finally glancing over at him with a soft smile. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Reno answered slowly, turning back to the moon introspectively. "Just can't sleep. I keep….seeing his face." Elena gazed at him sympathetically for a moment, unable to even imagine how he felt, before an idea hit her and she hopped up suddenly, drawing the redhead's attention.

"I'll be right back!" She explained, dashing off to her room and returning in hardly an instant with an armful of pillows and blankets. She tossed a pillow at his head and he caught it with a confused grin.

"Whatcha doin', 'Laney?"

"I've always wanted to have a sleepover," she smiled, dumping the armload of blankets onto the floor in front of the window unceremoniously. She threw herself on the pile, snuggling down into it and hugging her pillow. "We'll have a perfect view of the moon from here!"

Wondering how the hell he'd managed to deserve her, and how the hell he was going to keep the promise to "behave" that Tseng had exacted from him earlier when all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her until the sun came up, Reno smiled and crawled next to her, laying on his back and looking out at the moon once more, their heads almost touching.

"As long as I don't have to paint your nails, talk about boys, and play Truth or Dare," Reno smirked, tucking his pillow under his head, "We can have a sleepover." Elena laughed merrily at this, reaching over to take his hand and entwining her fingers with his. It wasn't long before Reno's breathing settled into the slow, shallow breaths of sleep and Elena smiled softly, feeling rather sleepy herself. She rolled onto her side to look at him.

He looked exhausted, but seemed to be resting peacefully for the moment, one hand still holding hers and the other laying limply on his stomach. As long as she was looking, Elena appreciatively noted the delicately outlined six-pack. Her observations took a darker turn as her gaze fell upon the scar of the smiley face that had once been gruesomely carved into his abs. Her curiosity got the better of her and, reaching out to brush her fingers lightly over his skin, Elena checked to see if the scars were raised lines. After all, it had been up to her to patch him up as best she could that night and she wanted to see the results of her work. At least that's what she was telling herself. _This has nothing to do with the fact that he's absolutely gorgeous and all muscular and stuff. Nope, this is purely professional interest! Just checking up on things and - oh, hey! Shirtless Reno. I didn't see you there. _Elena grinned, amused by her sleepy, and thus slightly deranged mind's chatter.

Suddenly, Reno's hand moved from his stomach, grabbing her wrist before she had a chance to jerk her incriminating hand away. He rolled over, simultaneously pulling her closer until her head rested on his shoulder. Elena froze, eyes wide and all thoughts of sleep blown away like leaves in the wind. _Is he awake?_ She didn't think so. One of his arms was slung over her waist, the other curled under her neck. _Well this isn't so bad._ She decided he was definitely asleep and made up her mind to make the most of the situation, surreptitiously snuggling up to him although she wasn't sure why she was being sneaky about it. Who was she trying to fool? _If only daddy could see me now!_ She thought smugly, not afraid of the man for once. It was hard to be scared, wrapped in Reno's arms as she was. She might as well have been encased in a force field for all the feelings of invincibility it gave her.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno stood in front of Tseng's closed office door, wondering how to explain to the man the events of the previous day. He was supposed to have been simply stalking Shinra's scientists, but instead he'd decided to go investigate an address without asking permission, or even telling anyone. While doing so, he'd discovered an incredible lead and killed a man. This was more than enough to require his full attention, but Reno continuously found his focus slipping back to Elena, specifically this morning when he'd woken up to find her curled in his arms and fast asleep, her even breaths warm on his neck. Luckily, she hadn't woken up when he'd slipped away to take the cold shower the situation suddenly required.

"You've been standing here for five minutes," Tseng abruptly opened his office door and began talking, not at all surprised to find Reno there, "What's on your mind?" Reno turned a slight shade of red considering what was actually on his mind at the moment, but kept Tseng from questioning further by replying quickly.

"I loosely interpreted my orders yesterday." A statement like that would always catch Tseng's interest and surprise, dismay, and a wary frown all appeared on his face almost instantly.

"Do tell," Tseng said dryly, standing back and motioning for Reno to enter his office.

Tseng sat silent for a moment after Reno had finished his much simplified account of the previous day.

"Are you alright?" He asked finally, looking at the redhead seriously.

"I am now." Reno answered truthfully, but his attitude warned Tseng not to press further. Reno didn't want to get all touchy-feely and talk about it.

"Well this is certainly interesting…" Tseng mused. "We may have to turn our attentions to this particular investigation for the moment. All we were able to get yesterday was further confirmation that there is indeed a spy within the ranks of Shinra, but we couldn't get anything more than that. We're probably going to have to threaten the Don himself if we want information that's worth anything. He won't be willing to give anything up though. If he's kept it this quiet, it means a lot to him. We'll have to prepare more for that one, so for today, do you think you could take us back to the warehouse? I imagine they'll have moved on by now, but I'm sure we can find something of interest. Go and let the others know that we'll be heading out soon. I've got some things to finish up first, but it won't take long."

Reno nodded, getting up from the chair in front of Tseng's desk and heading out the door.

"Oh, one more thing," Tseng called, looking up from the file in front of him. "It gets easier." Tseng didn't have to be more specific for Reno to know what he was talking about. Killing was simply part of the job description and it had suddenly become far more real than the rumors that floated around about the Turks. Again, Reno simply nodded, deciding he'd rather not talk about it.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Well, not much to look at, is it?" Tseng commented, looking up at the burned-out shell of a building that Reno had led them to.

"It wasn't like this yesterday." Reno stood still for only a moment more before stepping through the frame of what had once been the front door, wading through piles of ash and broken wood.

"Homey." Daniel didn't take long in following the redhead, eagerly looking around for anything interesting. Myka was right behind him.

"This way." Talan pointed a finger down a hallway before them, disappearing into the charred remains of the place. "Looks promising."

"It probably goes to the center, where they had all the stuff." Reno lost interest in his immediate surroundings, agreeing with Talan on the promise of the hallway before them.

"Be careful." Tseng warned pointlessly. He was, of course, speaking to Turks. "You don't know what they left behind…"

"Yeah, that's what we're trying to find out." Myka said sarcastically, hurrying ahead with the others.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"He's back." The man reached an arm out to urgently shake his dozing companion to alertness. The two had been assigned to watch the building, to see what happened after the group abandoned it, leaving behind a burned mess. The other man quickly woke up, peering over the edge of the roof where they were stationed, across the street from their old hideout. Sure enough, the redhead and four others stood on the street below, showing unmasked interest in the skeletal building.

"Should we grab him?" The second one questioned, looking at the first for answers.

"You're welcome to try, moron." The first one laughed harshly. "But you're doin' it by yourself! I'm not going down there! If the redhead's a Turk, you can bet the rest of 'em are too. No, we'll follow him like boss said and grab him when he's alone."

"Then we call the boss." The second one smiled menacingly.

"Yup. He's been waiting for a chance to get even for a long time."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno officially never wanted to see or touch another speck of ash or piece of splintered wood. They'd combed the building for hours without finding a single thing to help point them in the right direction. The best chance they had right now rested on some shredded documents they'd found when Tseng insisted they dig through the trash that had been only partially burned. They were all frustrated, especially Tseng who'd disappeared into his office as soon as they returned, only sallying forth every so often to pace the halls aimlessly as they waited for the forensics department to try and piece together the shreds of paper. They were in the middle of two critical investigations and both were dead-ends at the moment.

The other four had decided to be more active, and Reno, Daniel, and Myka were all three sparring together while thinking the matters through, occasionally verbalizing a thought or idea. Talan had gone with them, but was settled in the corner with a book, apparently unbothered by their lack of progress.

"It would help if we actually knew what it was we were lookin' for." Reno commented, ducking to avoid one of Myka's high kicks.

"Uh, news flash! We're looking for some people who stole some DNA samples." Myka rolled her eyes, earning herself a punch in the gut. She flinched and cursed at the redhead. He hadn't hit her very hard, they weren't trying to actually hurt each other, but it still wounded her pride.

"You know what I meant. If we knew what _kind_ of DNA samples, we'd at least be able to narrow down who would want their hands on them."

"This _is_ Shinra we're talking about." Daniel interjected, holding his arms in front of his face to defend against the punches Myka was trying to land. "You might not want to know."

"From what I heard that day," Reno came to Daniel's rescue, grabbing Myka's arms from behind and trying to hold her still. "It sounds like its not so much the DNA samples themselves, but what's been done to them. It was hard to hear, but they said stuff about modifying DNA." With a burst of effort, Myka turned the tables on Reno, managing to flip him over her shoulder. Twisting in the air, Reno's foot connected with Daniel's face, knocking the man down. Reno landed on his feet, facing Myka with a smirk.

"Dude, you were just helping me out and now you're kicking me in the face? That's messed up!" Daniel rubbed his nose and picked himself up. "Why don't you join us, Talan?" Daniel had noticed the man watching from the corner, his book ignored for the moment.

"No," Talan shook his head, a faint smile on his face. "I prefer to observe."

"Antisocial." Myka muttered.

"Give him a break." Daniel said. "Not everyone is as friendly as you." Reno laughed at this, causing Myka to lash out at him with another kick, getting them all fighting again. Reno dropped to the floor entirely this time to avoid her foot, rolling swiftly towards her, grabbing her ankle and pulling her other leg out from under her. Just as the three of them managed to get themselves completed tangled together in their efforts to beat the others up, Tseng burst into the room, merely raising an eyebrow to find three of his Turks in a heap on the ground.

"Sorry to disturb you all…you're clearly very busy." Tseng cleared his throat, gaining the attention of his Turks as they detangled themselves. "I just wanted to let you all know that I've heard from the forensics team and they probably won't have anything we can use until tomorrow. Its already late, and we have no other leads at the moment, so you are free to go."

"Guess I'll have to kick your asses more tomorrow." Reno smirked, hopping to his feet.

"You wish!" Myka scoffed. "I've got years of experience on you."

"Good point." Reno grinned, already backing away from the woman. "You are old enough to be my mother after all." With this, Reno had the good sense to bolt, leaving Daniel to restrain a furious Myka.

"I swear I'll kill you one of these days, you little bastard!" Reno laughed over his shoulder at her threat, slowing to a jog until he was safely inside the elevator and on his way home. Staring up at the deep gray sky for a moment, Reno stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles as he walked. He smiled to himself, and sped up a bit, imagining Elena waiting for him at home.

Another feeling, significantly less pleasant than the first, took hold of him. His impeccable instincts were telling him that something was not right, and he slowed down out of caution. Uneasily wondering what it could be, Reno's heightened senses picked up on something. At first, it was simply an awareness, the consciousness of a nearby presence but then he heard it too. _Footsteps._ He was a few blocks from the Shinra building now, and most foot traffic had died down. No one liked to be out at night in Midgar, not even above the Plate. Someone, maybe more than one, was definitely following him.

To test his suspicion, Reno changed course, abruptly turning down a side street and weaving a maze-like path that no one could possibly have a reason to follow…unless they were following him. _Dammit._ The footsteps had not faded. If anything, they were closer and Reno had just found himself facing a dead end. He turned sharply, doubling back in the hopes of finding another path to follow before running into whoever was behind him. Luck was not with him, and he rounded a corner to find himself face-to-face with two men he'd never seen before in his life. They appeared surprised to see him in front of them so suddenly, and Reno took advantage of the moment, grabbing the shoulders of the closest one and kneeing him mercilessly in the groin. The man's face contorted in pain and his mouth opened, but no sound came out as he was tossed aside quickly by the redhead.

The second one was prepared, and not willing to suffer the same fate as his companion. Reno eyed the switch-blade in this man's hand warily, as they both paused, sizing each other up. Not giving the other man a chance to strike first, Reno lunged at him, grabbing the man's wrist and trying to wrest the blade from his grasp. _Crap!_ He'd unintentionally screwed himself over. The man had pressed a rag, soaked in a sweet-smelling liquid over Reno's face and he already felt dizzy from the first whiff of it he'd gotten. Holding his breath, the redhead pried the knife from the man's hand, stabbing it into the man's leg, desperate to breath.

The distraction was enough for Reno to get out of the man's tight hold and he bolted, only making it about three feet before the first man, up from the ground and out for revenge, caught him. Struggling violently, Reno tried to escape but the burly man wrapped thick arms around the skinny boy and held on. Pulling the knife out of his leg, the other man cursed fiercely, glaring at Reno and covering his face with the drug-soaked rag again. _Shit, shit, shit, shit._ Reno couldn't hold his breath much longer. He was already seeing spots. When his lungs gave out, the redhead was forced to suck in a huge breath of the drug and, with a wave of nauseating dizziness, the world around him swirled into darkness.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena stopped in front of the door, listening with a frown on her face for the tenth time. She moved on, back into the kitchen where the dinner she'd cooked was cold. She looked at the clock. She checked the phone to see if she'd missed a call from him, even though she'd checked five times in the past hour. Reno was late. He hadn't said anything about being late. _They've probably just got something interesting to look into._ She tried to comfort herself. An hour and a half wasn't _too_ late, was it? It was hard not to worry when she knew how dangerous his job was. Holding the phone in her hand, she contemplated calling him. She'd already called twice and he hadn't answered. _That doesn't mean anything though!_ If he was busy working, he may not have time to answer. He may not even have heard it ring. _Where are you, Reno?_

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Tseng awoke instantly, going seamlessly from sleep to fully alert at the sound of his phone buzzing from its spot on his bedside table. Sitting up and grabbing the small device, he frowned, recognizing the number. It was Reno's apartment. What did Reno want with him at midnight?

"Hello?" He answered curiously.

"Hello, Tseng?" A girl's shaky voice over the line. He could tell immediately that something was wrong.

"Yes, is this Elena?"

"Uh huh…where's Reno?" The worry in her voice was poorly masked.

"I sent him home hours ago. He's not there?"

"He never came back!" Elena's voice broke. "I thought you all might be investigating something and he forgot to tell me he'd be out late. He's not answering his cell either."

"Damn." Tseng was silent for a moment, slipping out of bed as he continued speaking. "Ok, just stay on the phone, Elena. I can track his phone." A few minutes of tense silence followed while Tseng leaned over his laptop, pulling up the GPS tracking program. "Elena?"

"Yes?" Her hopeful voice responded instantly.

"I'm afraid his phone is no longer broadcasting a signal." Tseng was hurrying about his bedroom now, putting his Turk uniform back on and collecting his handgun from its place in the drawer by his bed.

"What does that mean?" Elena asked, but her despairing voice said she knew.

"The phone is no longer functioning. It may be broken, or destroyed."

"Maybe he turned it off?"

"We can still track them, even when they're off." Tseng was already heading out the door. "I can track him up until it stopped working though. I'm going to hang up now, Elena. I need to call the others and have them meet me at his last location."

"Ok, I'll stay by the phone. Call me when you know anything. Please."

"I certainly will. We'll find him, Elena." Tseng tried to be reassuring as he hung up. He wouldn't promise her that Reno was ok. He'd been a Turk far too long to be able to promise her that in good conscious. He _would_ find the redhead though. He just hoped this was all one of Reno's obnoxious pranks.

_Author's Note: Hopefully I won't leave you waiting as long this time! And hopefully the next one will be longer! I just feel bad for leaving you waiting for so long, I want to post something even if it is a bit short! I hope you guys liked it! Let me know what you think. =) Next chapter coming soon!_


	17. Chapter 17

_Author's Note: Sorry about the cliffhanger guys, but fear no longer! The update is here! *trumpet fanfare* It took awhile longer than I had intended because I had to rewrite the first half like 1000 times before I liked it. HUGE thanks to **uchihacutie** for helping me out with it! If it wasn't for her, you guys wouldn't be reading this right now! So head on over to her profile and read some of her stories because they're great! You can probably find a bunch of them in my favorites list. =) That being said, I don't normally give soundtracks to go along with chapters, but I definitely have certain songs in mind sometimes. So I'm going to tell you right now that there's a part further down where I put "You're Going Down" by Sick Puppies on repeat and wrote away! If you want to pull it up now, I'll put a tiny, unobtrusive note where you will want to play it. And by that I mean where I played it. How about this, so that it doesn't annoy anyone, I'll put this: **(!)** where you need to play it. How's that? Ok. Anyway...read away! =) _

"Is that all you need?" The leader spoke, watching with crossed arms one of the two scientists straightened up from where they were crouched on the ground in the dimly lit room next to a limp body. Unconscious and blindfolded, Reno body hadn't protested when the scientist had rolled up the sleeve of his white button up shirt and taken several blood samples.

"For now." The scientist nodded, eagerly looking at the vials of bright red liquid in his hands.

"Good. My turn."

"Don't…" The scientist was wearing a concerned frown, but appeared hesitant about contradicting the other man. "Don't get carried away. We'll want to examine him further. And we have tests…"

"Yes, yes, of course. But you want to see how he responds to pain, don't you?" The leader blew him off with a cruel smile, not allowing for an answer. Tapping a few buttons on his phone, the man glanced up appreciatively at the speakers in the ceiling as they responded by spilling out a symphony, the classical music loud enough to mask the sound of the scientist's footsteps as he left the room. The other one got up after recording Reno's pulse and slipped into the background, knowing better than to get in the leader's way right now.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno jerked suddenly from his unconscious state, the transition jarring. A number of things flooded his senses at once, most notably the ridiculously loud, contrastingly gentle classical music that seemed to actually fill space with its mighty presence. What concerned him more at the moment was that, although he was conscious again, he was still surrounded by darkness. Blinking, Reno realized he was blindfolded.

"Crap." He muttered aloud, barely able to hear himself above the music as he struggled to sit up. Shaking his head slightly to ensure that the blindfold was too tight to get rid of, he wished he could at least see the immediate area. For all he knew he could be surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves and not even be able to hear them above the harshly loud music. He had no idea who it was that had attacked him or why and now, deprived of sight and sound, he had no clue where in hell he was.

Before he had time to dwell on this further, a booted foot kicked him in the face, slamming Reno's head back. The redhead skidded a few feet, the surprise and the pain that had suddenly erupted in his nose pulling a loud string of curses from his mouth. He could already feel the slow trickle of blood dripping over his lips. The back of his head throbbed painfully from where it had connected with the concrete floor.

"Hello, Reno." A voice greeted him darkly as a hand clenched a handful of Reno's shirt, pulling the redhead halfway up. "We meet again."

"Do I know you?" Reno asked rudely, not ready to cower in the corner just yet. He frowned. There was something familiar about that voice.

"Yes, you know me. I know more about you than you know about me though. For example, I know about Elena." Reno tensed, abandoning his efforts to wipe the blood off his face with his shoulder.

"Leave her alone." He snapped, wishing the owner of the voice could see the steely glare he was aiming his way.

"We'll see." The voice was smiling, enjoying Reno's discomfort.

"What do you want?" Reno demanded, as he felt himself being pulled to his feet. The grip on his shirt was released, but now the redhead had no idea where the man was. He would have been able to locate him by sound if it hadn't been for the damned music making it difficult to hear even your own thoughts. "What do you want?" Reno repeated, this time more forceful. He didn't like not knowing where his enemy was.

"My team of scientists believe you to be a genetically engineered being. Shinra's pet. An assassin, bred to be the perfect killer." A powerful kick to the chest sent Reno reeling and he crashed into the wall behind him, managing to keep on his feet, despite his inability to use his arms to help balance.

"That's ridiculous." Reno didn't appreciate the beating, but now he was more interested in who his captors were. Hopefully, Tseng would track him down pretty quick and then they'd have at least one of their two major investigations cleared up.

"Try and tell them that. If only you knew the array of tests and experiments they have lined up! They've been planning this for days. Personally, I'm not so convinced you're that special."

"What the hell do you want me for then?" Reno questioned, wincing as another blow to the ribs had him hugging the wall once more. _That's gonna bruise…_ Pain blossomed sharply in his gut and Reno curled over in silent agony, feeling the cold blade of a knife within him.

"Me? I just want to kill you." The knife twisted, pulling a cry from the redhead before the blade was roughly removed, allowing him to sink to the ground, leaning on the wall for support. Reno remained tense, expecting another attack any moment, but none came. After several minutes, he finally decided the man was gone and began trying to force his muscles to relax, a difficult task considering that even the slightest twinges caused fresh waves of pain to wash over his abdomen. _Ok, Tseng…you'd better be lookin' for me._ Letting his head lean back and rest against the wall, Reno tried to keep his breathing shallow and his thoughts on something else. _I can do this…just gotta wait it out._

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"I believe we are ready to begin our first experiment." The voice reappeared out of thin air, its owner's advance hidden by a concerto. Reno was startled, and jumped slightly, immediately wishing he hadn't. Not only did the sudden muscle tension cause send a lightning bolt through his gut, it gained a low chuckle from the voice. Irked that he couldn't control his surprise, rolled his shoulders restlessly and lashed out verbally.

"You enjoy experimentation, huh?" Reno ignored how the smirk, a necessary addition to the sarcastic comment, made his nose sting. The pain only intensified when Reno received a vicious backhand as a reward for his statement. Biting his lip to avoid crying out, the redhead tasted blood, although he didn't know if it was from his nose or if he'd bitten down too hard.

"Your task is a simple one." The familiar but unidentifiable voice didn't acknowledge the remark beyond physical punishment. Reno was jerked roughly to his feet and made to walk, an unnerving task when you could see absolutely nothing. "There will be a maze. You will have to navigate through it."

"Uh huh." Reno interrupted skeptically. "So how exactly does lettin' me run into walls because I can't see a freakin' thing determine whether or not I'm some kind of killer-mutant or whatever?" Reno assumed they had left the room by now, mostly because the music had slowly faded.

"Your blindfold will be removed." The voice answered, clearly annoyed by the redhead. "As I was saying, the scientists among us are interested in seeing where your instincts lead you. For that reason, you will go through the maze at a run, not stopping at all to think or consider which route to take. If you ever stop or slow down, there will be…reminders."

Before much longer, Reno was jerked to a stop and after a moment's delay, the blindfold was removed. Squinting and blinking against the light after so much time in total darkness, Reno's eyes took a moment to adjust. It was then that he noticed the scientist standing in front of him, holding the blindfold and a clipboard, a mixture of curiosity and fear on his face. By that alone, Reno knew this man wasn't the one whose voice he had been hearing. There was no trace of fear in that voice. Reno noted with a twinge of disappointment that no one else was around. He was hoping to find out whom that familiar voice belonged to… Glancing up, he noted that there was a walkway skirting the edges of the building another story up. From there, one could see the maze spread out before them and whoever was inside. A number of indistinguishable figures circulated around this area.

"The test was explained to you?" The scientist inquired, eyeing Reno warily. Reno turned his attention back to the man who was removing the redhead's handcuffs.

"Yeah." Reno smirked. "I'm supposed to run through a maze. Ya think I can, like, magically solve the maze first try or somethin'?" He rubbed his now free wrists, stretching his cramped arms.

"Uh…we're hoping to find evidence of an advanced 'sixth sense', if you will." The scientist answered automatically, taken aback by Reno's attitude. Apparently, he'd expected their prisoner to be more humble. "Well, there's the maze. On the count of three." The man stepped aside, gesturing to the walls set up to create a huge maze in the midst of a large, otherwise empty room. Reno eyed it carelessly. He had no idea how they expected him to not get completely lost, especially if he didn't have time to think about which path to take since he was supposed to run the whole thing, but hell, it wasn't like he had anything better to do!

"…Three." When the scientist finished his countdown, Reno waited a moment, shifting from foot to foot and looking around casually. Catching the scientist's confused and irritated gaze, he faked surprise.

"Oh, was I supposed to go?" Reno grinned. "My bad, should we start over?" The amount of fear in the other man's eyes was steadily decreasing. The redhead certainly wasn't behaving as one would expect a genetically modified super-soldier to behave. This time Reno moved on cue, but taking care not to rush himself.

"Run faster!" The scientist called after him, already out of sight as Reno rounded the first corner. "You won't get another warning…" Reno frowned slightly, wondering what it was he'd just heard in the man's tone. The words hadn't sounded like a threat, but more like a friendly warning. He shrugged, not particularly caring as he jogged through the intricate maze. Grimacing at the searing pain in his gut, he slowed down, hoping to disturb the area less.

Almost immediately, something stung Reno's leg, nearly tripping him from surprise and the sudden pain. With a curse, Reno halted and pulled the small throwing star from his leg.

"Did I not say there would be reminders if you slowed or stopped?" The voice boomed out and Reno searched the path above him. It was still impossible to figure out which of the many figures belonged to the voice, but now Reno realized why they were there.

"Fantastic." The redhead rolled his eyes, muttering sarcastically as he actually started running this time, holding on to the throwing star. Hey, if they were going to throw weapons down to him, he might as well hang on to 'em!

Several minutes later, Reno finally found himself exiting the maze and he slowed to a stop gratefully. The knife wound in his gut was brutally assaulting him, the way his shirt rubbed against the highly sensitive area making him want to simply rip off the piece of clothing. He could feel drops of blood sliding down his abs, a very uncomfortable sensation. As much as he wanted to curl up in a ball and never move again, he forced himself to stand up straight, refusing to appear as though they'd broken him.

Waiting for him on this side of the room was another scientist, this one female, and a handful of heavily armed men. Glancing over them quickly and curiously, Reno decided none of them were the leader. He could just tell from their attitudes. He was beginning to get annoyed with his captor's reluctance to reveal himself. _Whatever…_ Running his fingers over the sharp piece of metal still hidden in his hand, Reno glanced over the people before him. _May as well give it a shot._ As soon as one of the men approached him with handcuffs, Reno took action.

He darted towards the man, surprising him, and stabbed the throwing star into his shoulder, close to the neck. With a shout, the man dropped the cuffs and clutched at the piece of metal protruding from his flesh. Reno took the opportunity to deliver a swift uppercut, throwing the man's head back and sending him staggering into another of the men, all of whom were rushing forward. Grinding his teeth against the pain, Reno roundhouse kicked another one of them in the face, dropping him instantly.

By this time, at least three more had converged on him, one of whom wasted no time in digging his fist into the tell-tale red stain on Reno's white button-up, hitting the stab wound dead on. Despite himself, Reno cried out, curling over as they shoved him to the ground. A knee pressed into his back, only putting more pressure on his wounded abdomen. A hand grabbed a fistful of Reno's messy red hair.

"You move and I'll introduce that nose of yours to the floor, bitch." Someone above him hissed threateningly. Reno stayed very still. The movements he'd gone through in the past minute alone had been enough to get his nose stinging again, and he doubted having it slammed into the concrete floor would feel any better.

"Well that's more like it." A woman's voice interrupted as the scientist came into Reno's view, crouching on the floor to look at his face. "Your time on the maze was disappointing. But that…that was impressive. Once the set-up is rearranged, you'll go through again. Remember to take the path your instincts choose. Don't let anything else influence your decision."

"Reno." _The_ voice called out from above and Reno internally cursed his inability to move without getting his nose smashed again. "That was a bad idea. I highly recommend you don't try it again. I chose the throwing stars because I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to think little stunts like that would work. Besides, my only other option was bullets. But then, you might die too soon. And we couldn't have that, could we?"

"I dunno, why don't you come down here and we'll talk about it?" Reno really wanted to know who this was.

"You don't have time. The maze is ready again. I suggest you move quickly."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno collapsed immediately upon exiting the maze, breathing heavily as sweat and blood dripped off his face onto the hard, gray floor beneath him. He'd lost count of how many times they'd made him to run the maze, each time forcing him faster and faster. If he didn't go quickly enough, he got hit with a throwing star. After also losing count of how many small, but painful, incisions he had earned this way, Reno had finally started actually giving it 100%, but now he was exhausted and every wound throbbed in rhythm with his high heart rate. He didn't even know how long he'd been doing this. Hours? Days? **(!)**

"Again." The voice echoed down to him and Reno grimaced, pounding his fist on the floor. Other than that, he didn't move. "You're giving up already?" Still, Reno did not respond. "Pathetic. A real Turk would never give up. Still, I suppose that's not fair since you're not really Turk material. After all, you were just picked up off the street one day…a real street rat. Worthless." Reno glanced up, a dangerous look on his face. There was only one figure standing above him now. The others were filtering down to the other side of the room. Still, it was impossible to identify the man, shrouded in shadow as he was.

Pulling himself to his feet with a considerable amount of effort, Reno glanced at the maze before him. The man had struck a slightly sore topic and now Reno was really pissed. Wiping blood off his face with the back of his hand, Reno took a deep breath and bolted, basically sprinting at this point. Anger alone fueling him, the redhead weaved through the maze without thinking about it, blindly pouring his frustration and rage into action.

Suddenly, someone was in front of him wielding a knife. Slowing for hardly a moment, Reno flipped the man over his shoulder and snatched the knife. He kept running. Sliding around a corner, Reno used his momentum to run up on the wall for a few strides, coming down on top of another armed man. This time, Reno wasn't surprised and he lost no time in driving the stolen knife deep into the man's shoulder, actually pinning him to the wall. Hardly thinking about his actions, Reno swept through the maze, effectively handling every single one of the assailants that appeared along the way.

The woman scientist looked up in surprise from her clipboard as one of the disposable thugs their boss hired flew through the air before her, coming from the maze. Following the trajectory, she found herself staring at the redhead. He stood right at the entrance, his hands braced against the floor, bent over at the waist with one leg still high in the air where it had connected with the man's head. Slowly straightening, Reno stared back at her for a moment before his knees buckled and he crumpled to the floor smoothly, almost gracefully. She looked at the stopwatch in her hand and her jaw dropped.

Crouching next to the boy, she determined that he had passed out. She was busy recording his pulse and frantically making notes when the other scientists approached at a jog, followed quickly by their leader.

"He's unconscious, sir." She reported. The man simply nodded, seeming rather disinterested as he stood at a distance. The scientists, on the other hand, were anything but disinterested. They hovered around the limp body, speaking animatedly to one another.

"Did you see that?"

"He didn't take a single wrong turn. Not once."

"And look at his time." The woman held her clipboard out to them, where she'd written down the record-breaking time.

"This has got to be it. Shinra's finally done it." One of them gestured to Reno in awe. The leader smirked to himself, shaking his head at how gullible his scientists could be. _No, Shinra's done nothing. Reno wasn't _bred_ to be the perfect assassin, he was simply _born_ the perfect assassin. _He saw no reason to correct them however. Their tests were amusing. And painful. The man's mouth twisted up into a cruel smile as he walked away from the group of chattering scientists. The redhead wasn't walking away from this one. Not if he could help it.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Any luck?" Myka spoke softly into her cellphone, biting her lip and placing a hand on her hip anxiously. She stood in the kitchen of Reno and Elena's apartment, glancing back through the doorway to the girl curled up on the couch, crying gently. Sympathy squeezed at her heart.

"Not much." Tseng's grim, dismayed voice replied. "We found his cell at his last known location, smashed. There was some blood and a small knife. It has a name scratched into it though."

"Ha! We can use that, can't we?" Myka crossed her arms and leaned against the counter, rubbing her eyes. She was tired. They all were. Reno had disappeared about twelve hours ago, and none of them had slept since.

"We're trying, Myka, but don't get her hopes up. Finding one man who doesn't want to be found among all the people in Midgar who've lost a knife…its daunting, to say the least." Tseng sighed. "How is she?"

"Well…" Myka leaned around the corner of the doorway to steal another glance at Elena. Lowering her voice, she replied. "She's still crying, if that's what you mean." Myka could hear Tseng sigh heavily again.

"That's why I sent you over there instead of having you help us." He commented. "The poor girl's beside herself." Myka nodded, not caring that Tseng couldn't see her.

"Call me when you know anything." She sighed, saying goodbye and hanging up. Slipping her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, Myka exited the kitchen and went back to the couch where Elena was curled, hugging a blanket and crying into it softly. She'd been there basically since Myka had arrived the night before. Sitting down next to the girl, Myka rubbed her back comfortingly. She may act fierce, but Myka was soft and squishy on the inside, and she had an especially soft spot for the blonde girl.

"What did Tseng say?" Elena pulled the blanket from in front of her face, turning a tear-stained face covered in hope and misery towards the woman.

"They're working really hard, sweetie." Myka found it physically painful to crush the hope on the girl's face. "But there's not much to go on. There was a fight. We found his phone and a knife, that's it. They're trying to track down the owner of the knife. It's going to take a while, but it's the best we can do." Elena nodded, turning disheartened eyes back into the depths of the blanket. As badly as she wanted to, Myka couldn't bring herself to tell the girl that Reno would be ok, that they'd find him soon and he'd be just fine and dandy. She was a Turk, and she'd been a Turk for years. She knew what happened to Turks. If they found him, there was no telling what would have happened to him by then and whether or not he really would be ok.

"You know…" Myka hesitated, continuing to rub the girl's back while she spoke. "I know how you feel. Being a Turk is dangerous, everything we do is dangerous. You never know what will happen, just in the course of a day's work." Myka stared off into the distance, seeming to talk less and less to Elena and more to herself. "Every time he goes on a mission…not knowing if he'll come back. I worry. About Daniel." This caught Elena's attention, and she pulled the blanket from her face once again.

"You and Daniel, huh?" She tried hard to smile, really she did, but it just came out as a weak grimace.

"Yes." Myka rolled her eyes. She absolutely abhorred talking about herself, but it was easier than she remembered opening up to another woman. She worked with men. Stupid, ignorant, oblivious men. "But don't tell anyone, because they don't know. Daniel almost lets it slip a thousand times a day, but I won't let him. I don't want to put up with the teasing!"

"Oh, Reno knows." Elena managed a smile this time, although somewhat teary. "He's known forever. I'm told its really obvious."

"What?" Myka was genuinely surprised. How on the Planet could Reno have known and not teased her about it yet? "And Tseng?"

"Well, if it's _that_ obvious, I'm sure Tseng knows." Her lip suddenly quivering, Elena retreated beneath the blanket once more, groaning sorrowfully. "I just want him to be home, Myka. And safe." Her muffled voice was quiet, shaking gently as the sobs caught up with her.

"I know, honey, I know." Myka's heart went out to the girl. "We all do. Tseng won't rest until he finds him, even if he has to tear the whole city apart." _Please find him._ The woman sent up a silent prayer. She didn't want to imagine the long-lasting traumatic effect it would have on Elena if…if they never found him or, worse, if they found him dead.

_Author's Note: So what do you think? I was going to wait a few more days and write some more, but this was a good place to stop and I wanted to see how you guys were reacting so far! =) Please review and let me know what you think! I'll be looking forward to hearing from all of you!_


	18. Chapter 18

_Author's Note: UPDATE! Woot! This would have (a) come sooner or (b) been longer except there were two nights this week I didn't write because I was studying for an exam. 13 straight hours of studying, baby! And it better have paid off. *shakes fist at professor* Anyway...here's an update...and please review because I want to see what you all say about this one. =) Some of my favorite parts are in here! _

Suspended in black, empty nothingness. Reno floated in darkness, pleasantly lost in an abyss. He heard whispers, voices speaking but he couldn't understand the words. Then suddenly Elena was there, with him in the nothingness. She smiled, appearing positively angelic as her mouth moved, speaking to him. He strained to understand but it was too loud. Too loud to hear what she said as she reached out to touch him. Her touch, light at first was growing heavier and heavier and he grew more and more uncomfortable. As discomfort turned into pain, he asked her to stop. The pain continued. Maybe she didn't hear him. There were cracks in the darkness now, letting invasive light creep its long fingers in as the noise grew, drowning out his own voice, continually begging Elena to stop hurting him. Now she was fading too, along with the dark, but the pain was still there, growing in intensity.

Lights suddenly danced before his eyes as he was sucked back into the conscious realm with dizzying speed. Cold hands were on his stomach, pushing, poking, and prying around the horrible, jagged wound in his abdomen. A cry pulled from his lips as fingers poked too close to the bloody tear in his skin. He jerked instinctively against the restraints on his hands, trying to shove the hands away. The handcuffs and the blindfold were back.

"He's awake." A voice commented, the hands hesitating for only a moment before continuing their investigation. Now other hands appeared, their sudden touches on his neck and arms startling him unpleasantly. The oppressively loud classical music was back, harassing his ears.

"Ah, did you enjoy your nap, Reno?" _The_ voice questioned, the smirk actually audible.

"Screw you." Reno said through clenched teeth, about to go crazy with people he couldn't even see touching him so much.

"He doesn't seem to be healing any faster than a normal person would." He recognized the voice of the female scientist from earlier. She sounded disappointed. _So that's what they're doing…_

"Maybe they couldn't manage to get accelerated healing into his genetic code." A male voice responded.

"It seems that if you're going to bother to make a super-soldier, you'd work out advanced tissue repair abilities somehow. Considering the other things we've heard rumored, it would be the least of their modifications." Yet another voice entered the mix. This was getting damned confusing. _At least they're done with the prodding._ No more cold hands came in contact with his skin.

"Um, here's an idea." Reno spoke up, silencing the others. He could feel their eyes on him. "I don't heal any faster than any of you guys because I'm _not_ some freakin' science experiment! I was born in the slums, not a test tube in some lab somewhere. I don't have any special skills or magic powers or anythin'. Just a normal guy." There was silence. Well, except for the glaringly loud violin concerto.

"You know…we haven't found anything in the DNA that suggests genetic adaptions." One of the voices added. Reno held his breath, sensing their hesitation.

"Oh please." The leader interrupted sarcastically, not allowing doubt to grow. "Don't tell me you're letting him convince you? He was _designed_ to be the perfect killer, the perfect spy. He's going to be able to tell a simple lie!"

"But-" The scientist's protest was cut short.

"You haven't found anything in the DNA because you haven't been looking hard enough! Get back to work!" The commanding tone silenced the scientists for now. Reno only hoped they would believe him. A hand suddenly grabbed a handful of Reno's shirt, pulling his torso up from the ground. He was roughly slammed into the wall behind him, making him hiss in pain as he was left sitting there.

"Don't think for a second that you can talk your way out of this one." The voice was seething, and Reno assumed that the scientists had gone. "They'll do whatever I tell them to."

"I'm just tellin' 'em the truth. Maybe they'll figure out you're lying to 'em. That'll be interestin'."

"Well," The voice was in control again, making Reno uneasy. "If they find out, I'm going to make sure it's not from you. Nobody listens to crazy people." The hand let go of his shirt, grabbing his arm above the elbow instead.

"Yeah, but I'm not crazy." Reno was really becoming nervous now. His sleeve was being rolled up.

"You're about to be." The sick pleasure in the voice sent a chill down Reno's spine and the cold pinpoint of a touch against the soft skin on the inside of his elbow sent another wave of tension over him. _A needle._ "I never told you why I wanted to kill you, did I? Perhaps this will jog your memory." One-by-one, a finger touched each of the three bullet-wound scars Reno had on his chest and abdomen. They were from his first mission, the night where their drug bust had gone wrong and many of the members had been killed. Many of the gang had escaped capture or death that night too though…

"That was one of my businesses, Reno. One of my most profitable. And you destroyed it in a single night. I think the punishment should suit the crime, don't you?" With a sudden, sharp pressure, the needle pierced his pale skin and his arm went cold as some foreign substance began pumping through his veins. "This drug is a favorite of mine. Not to use myself, of course. It's far too dangerous. And decidedly unpleasant. A hallucinogen, among other things, tweaked to suit my purposes. I find it ironic, giving this to you. Poetic justice, if you will." Reno was already starting to feel weird, the panic making his heart beat faster, only spreading the drug quicker. _Where have I heard that voice? Where? _He frantically searched his memories, trying to place it, if for no other reason than to distract himself from what was happening.

"You'll start to see things, hear things, feel things that aren't really there." The voice was fading, moving away from him as it spoke. Only the music filled the air for a moment. "Or are they?" The voice returned suddenly, right in his ear and Reno jumped, despite his best efforts not to. There was a low chuckle. "Your mind is turning on you, Reno. I have things to attend to now, so I'll leave you alone with your thoughts." Another disturbing laugh. "By the time I come back, you may find my company considerably less horrific."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno cringed, pushing himself farther back into the corner of the room, desperately jerking at the handcuffs binding his wrists. He felt so open, so exposed without his arms in front to defend himself. His whole body shook for a moment, pain gripping him. A bony hand clawed at his throat and he gasped, struggling furiously before realizing there wasn't anything there. Clenching his teeth, Reno wished he could cover his ears. The shrill violins had become thousands of shrieks, screaming in pain and terror; drums, the roar of some hideous beast just waiting to tear him to shreds. He could see it all, swirling around him. The blindfold didn't help at all, only making it easier for his mind to convince him that he was surrounded by monsters.

His heart continued racing faster and faster, his breath coming shorter with every second. The pressure was building. He couldn't take it much longer. The loud clash of a pair of cymbals was enough to push him over the edge. Jumping at the sudden crash, Reno lost his hold on the last shreds of sanity he'd been clinging to, the final defenses of his mind falling to the onslaught of horrors conjured up by the drug. For a moment, he could have sworn he heard the voice's disturbing laughter, but it was soon drowned out by his own screams as he saw and felt countless, terrifying monsters attacking him, tearing him apart.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

The man smiled brutally, watching the redhead huddled alone in the corner of the room, trembling like a leaf in the wind and screaming constantly while the beautiful symphony played on.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Tseng stormed out of yet another dingy bar that was filled with nothing but alcoholics at this time of the morning. Alcoholics who were possible sources of information, one of whom Tseng was literally dragging behind him. Tossing the man onto the street, Tseng drew his black handgun and cocked it, pointing the weapon right in between his victim's eyes.

"Give me a reason not to kill you." He said simply, his face expressionless but his eyes flashing dangerously. It had been two days since Reno had gone missing. Two days and Tseng still had no idea where his Turk was, or what was happening to the young man. He tossed two worn photographs at the frightened man's feet. The tipsy man looked at them with wide eyes. One was of a fiery redhead and the other was a close-up of a pocket knife with a name scratched onto it.

"Have you seen either of these?" Tseng questioned. He was desperate for news. Any news. He had hardly slept since he'd gotten that call from Elena. He felt responsible for all his Turks, but somehow more so for Reno than the others. Perhaps it was because Reno was younger, perhaps because he seemed to need more looking after. Whatever the case, Tseng had developed an almost fatherly affection for the sometimes troublesome redhead and he was going to find him, killing whoever he needed to in the process.

"No, man." The captive shook his head violently. "I ain't seen any of this shit!" Tseng swore, deciding it was better the man know exactly how mad he was then to remain calm. Talan and Daniel were also out, doing much the same thing as they tried to find any leads on Reno. So far, they'd had no luck. All their usual informants seemed to be in the dark, but the word was getting out that the Turks were looking for someone…and they were angry. And when the Turks were pissed, people started dying.

"Who ya lookin' for anyway?" The man asked hesitantly, hoping for his own sake that he could help more if he knew more. "This guy?" He pointed to the picture of the smirking redhead. Tseng nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Well…who is he? 'Cause I got a buddy…he was sayin' some real interestin' stuff 'bout Shinra's finest, meaning yourselves of course, and how they ain't so scary when ya get 'em alone and outnumbered." The gun was pressed against his temple now, the dark-haired Turk gripping a handful of shirt and glaring at him.

"Tell me everything you know and maybe you won't die here on the street."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Myka held her phone in her hand and narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. She'd just gotten off the phone with Daniel and he said they had something…should she tell Elena? The girl was staring out the window in the living room, a book hanging listlessly from her fingers. Myka doubted she'd read any of it. Elena's hand moved up to wipe under her eyes. _She's crying again._ For some reason that completely mystified Myka, Elena had insisted on sleeping in front of the window with a pile of pillows and blankets.

Glancing down at her phone again, Myka contemplated. Apparently Tseng had called Daniel earlier to tell him he might have a lead. Talan had been busy following his own lead, and they wanted Myka to stay with Elena so just the two of them were following it up. She wanted so badly to give Elena some hope, but if it didn't turn into anything, the fall would be that much harder. Sighing, she decided to keep it to herself for now and settled back on the sofa to watch the cooking show that was on.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Reno felt exhausted and groggy, leaning his head back against the concrete wall, shivering occasionally. He had no way of knowing how long it had been, but the drug was wearing off, leaving him slumped limply in the corner. _Finally._ His throat was sore from screaming and fear still lingered in his mind and around his heart, causing his breath to catch every now and then. The music sounded like music again though, and the horrible visions were gone except for disturbing flashes every few minutes.

"Miss me?" The voice was back, greeting him with a knife to the throat. Reno tensed up immediately, sucking a breath as he couldn't help but imagine the knife as the claw of some hideous beast. The knife dragged its way harshly across the redhead's skin, the razor sharp blade leaving a thin red trail, not very deep, but stinging painfully. It was more nerve-wracking than anything, and Reno was soon breathing heavily, fighting desperately to keep control of his still drug-clouded mind.

"Looks like someone needs another dose." The voice commented, clearly disappointed. The knife disappeared, but a hand gripped his arm again.

"Hell no!" Reno jerked away, pulling a leg up sharply despite the protest the wound in his gut offered up. He was rewarded by feeling his knee connect with something solid, pulling a curse from the voice.

"Wrong move." The grip on Reno's arm tightened as the voice spoke. A hand pressed firmly on his shoulder and, with a quick jerk, an excruciating pain erupted from the joint. Reno's mouth opened in a silent scream, sweat quickly beading on his forehead. The now familiar touch of a cold needle on the inside of his elbow returned, but Reno couldn't move his arm, whether from the intense pain or because he actually couldn't move it, he didn't know. Every motion, no matter how slight, pulled a fresh wave of agony from the joint and the drug, now coursing coldly through his veins once again wasn't helping.

Gritting his teeth, Reno struggled to keep his arm absolutely still and prepare for the inevitable psychological attack from the substance. But how did one prepare for _that_? It was a thousand times worse now as every terror-induced tremor tore at his shoulder painfully. The drug took effect quicker this time because there was still some it left in his system and it wasn't long before Reno was lost to the most terrifying hallucinations, accompanied by the shrieking screams of violins and the thunderous roar of drums.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"This is it." Tseng stood out of sight with Daniel, staring at an unassuming building across the street from where they concealed themselves. It wasn't hard to stay in the shadows under the Plate; the whole place was full of them.

"Are you sure?" Daniel asked, glancing over the structure critically. "It looks exactly like every single other building on this damned street!"

"I'm sure." Tseng was meticulously checking his handgun with a dangerous look in his eyes. "Time to teach these bastards not to screw with the Turks."

"Hold up." Daniel grabbed Tseng's arm, holding the man back. "We should at least have Talan join us before we go in there. We have no clue what's on the other side of that door." Daniel was being uncharacteristically careful, but Tseng couldn't deny the logic. It had taken them a mere two hours exhaust the lead Tseng had gotten from the man at the bar and now they had an actual address, but not much else. It was likely that they had Reno though, and that was enough for Tseng.

"Well hurry up and call him." Tseng tapped his gun against his leg impatiently while Daniel called the other Turk.

"He says he's thirty minutes away." Daniel reported a few minutes later, still on the phone with Talan. "Are we gonna wait for him, or go ahead anyway?" Tseng considered for a moment.

"We're going now. He'll just have to catch up when he gets here." Quickly relaying this information to Talan, Daniel snapped his phone closed and tucked it into his pocket, pulling out a handful of knives and reaching inside his jacket to turn the safety off on his gun, nestled in its shoulder holster.

"So are we going for stealth or just kicking down the door and kicking ass?" Daniel asked.

"We don't know what to expect from them, so we'll stick to stealth as long as we can. Incapacitate anyone who crosses your path. I've already called in a clean-up crew." Tseng smiled wryly.

Hardly five minutes later and the two Turks were working their way systematically through the building, encountering a disappointing lack of inhabitants.

"No one here either…" Daniel murmured to the other man, glancing around yet another room that proved to be devoid of life.

"Someone was though…recently." Tseng stared down at the desk, one of many in the room. A cup of a dark liquid, probably coffee, was sitting innocently on a stack of papers…steaming. "There were people here, they left in a hurry, and they tried to cover their tracks." He observed further, noting certain details about the room. There were several computer monitors adorning the surface of the desks, none of which responded in any way.

"These are gonna be useless." Daniel announced, rising from his crouch in front of one of the computers. "Completely, and intentionally, fried."

"Well this screen is still showing something." Tseng gestured to one in the corner, moving closer and peering at it while Daniel briefly examined a stereo that still seemed to be working. "Daniel…is that…"

"Reno." Daniel confirmed, looking over Tseng's shoulder at what appeared to be a security camera feed. The quality was poor, and the image fuzzy as a result, but the blob of red hair was unmistakable. He was in the corner of an empty room, not moving.

"Come on." Tseng urged pointlessly; Daniel was already out the door, continuing their search of the building.

"Is that…music?" Daniel frowned, straining to hear the faint sounds. Tseng paused for just a moment to listen.

"Sounds like Mozart."

"What the hell?" They kept moving, faster now, following the music and still not encountering a soul. The whole place seemed to have been abandoned just when they arrived. Tseng threw open a door and the music hit almost like a physical blow. Clearly this was the source.

"Got him!" Tseng called over his shoulder to Daniel. The bright hair quickly drew his attention in the otherwise gray room and they both rushed over to Reno, ignoring the disturbingly loud music for the moment.

Blindfolded, hands cuffed behind his back, Reno slumped against the wall, not really sitting and not really laying down in the corner of the room. His right arm was held at an odd and uncomfortable looking angle. Blood stained his white button up that was now much the worse for wear and his jacket was nowhere to be seen. He hadn't seemed to notice them yet, which was not surprising. The music was too loud for them to even hear themselves as they approached him. His nose was bruised a dark purple and a small trickle of blood came from it. A tremor passed through his body and what sounded like a whimper escaped his lips in response.

Crouching next to him, Tseng reached up to remove the blindfold. The moment his fingers came in contact with Reno's skin, the young man recoiled sharply, crying out not in pain but in fear as he tried desperately to back further into the corner.

"It's ok, Reno! It's just Tseng and Daniel." Tseng tore off the blindfold to find piercing aquamarine eyes squinting back at him, looking scared and confused. He blinked repeatedly against the sudden light, but he stopped trying to get away, frowning closely at Tseng's face, as if trying to recognize someone through a fog.

"Tseng?" He repeated, suddenly flinching and squeezing his eyes shut just as the classical music reached a crescendo, the stringed instruments soaring through a series of soprano notes. "Make it stop." The redhead was clearly struggling against the handcuffs on his wrists. Tseng went to work on picking the lock. "The screaming…make it go away. Please, just kill me, Tseng!" Reno pleaded, fixing his tortured aqua eyes on the man. Tseng frowned deeply but before he could reply, Daniel interrupted him.

"Uh oh…look at this." He reached out and pushed Reno's sleeve an inch or so higher, brushing his fingers over a number of deep red, tiny circles decorating the skin on the inside of the elbow. Reno jerked his now untied arm away at the touch, pushing himself to a sitting position, tucked as deeply into the corner as he could get with his knees pulled up.

"Please…" He repeated hoarsely, his right arm hanging limply in his lap while the other hand clenched a fistful of his hair, knuckles white.

"Dammit, what the hell did they give him?" Tseng wondered out loud, taking this as an explanation for Reno's strange behavior. "Reno!" He spoke firmly, hoping to get the redhead to focus on him. At the sudden shout, necessarily louder than the music, Reno started, whipping his head around to look at Tseng.

"You want to see Elena again, right?" A flicker of something passed behind Reno's eyes and he nodded. "Then focus, stay calm and you'll be back home safe and sound in no time, ok?" Again, Reno nodded, taking a deep, shaky breath. "Daniel, do something about the damned noise, would you?" Tseng turned to look at the man, growing irritated with the loud music. Daniel nodded and glanced around at the speakers attached to the ceiling in the room. A few well-placed bullets later and the room was in blessed silence.

"Oh, shit, sorry man." Daniel apologized when he looked back towards the redhead who was cringing in the corner at the loud gunshots. Reno shook his head.

"It's gone." He seemed relieved.

"Ok, let's look at your shoulder here for a second before you move anywhere." Tseng reached over slowly, not sure if Reno would freak out again at being touched. The redhead seemed to have calmed down considerably and Tseng was able to gently investigate the joint without causing him too much pain. "I think it's dislocated. Not broken though, so I can fix it here." Tseng looked at Reno warningly. "It's going to hurt worse than it does now for a moment, but then it will be much, much better."

Reno nodded curtly, laying his head back and staring at the ceiling as Tseng firmly gripped Reno's hand and wrist. The sudden jerk almost brought Reno to his feet and pulled a scream from his lungs.

"There." Tseng let go of his arm, which Reno quickly pulled back to himself, cradling it protectively against his chest. "Time to go home, Reno."

_Author's Note: So...review. =) And tell me things! Poor Reno. I have lots of fluff that's been building in my mind though, so I'm sure he'll be rewarded soon enough. xD And we still don't know who the antagonist is! *evil laugh* I love leaving you all in suspense. Some of you guys have tried guessing, and its actually really enjoyable to see what you all come up with, so feel free to drop a line in your review with your guess. You can either specify a character that's already appeared in the story (even if it was for just a second!) or guess its someone new entirely. THANKS FOR READING DARLINGS! *hugs for all*_


	19. Chapter 19

_Author's Note: Wow, long update this time. I had a LOT of inspiration for this chapter and I wanted all of it to be one chapter so I couldn't post it until I finished all these events. Which I just did. Obviously. Because I'm posing it. ANYWAY. Couple of things to say: I hope you're ready for fluff. Fluff to rival clouds, cotton candy, and their mutant super-fluffy children ALL COMBINED. SO. MUCH. FLUFF. And some darkness. But mostly fluff. Anyway, I do have some strongly suggested songs again! These include E.T. by Katy Perry and Beautiful Disaster (the acoustic version - the one I listen to is the live performance that's on the Breakaway CD) by Kelly Clarkson. I'll include markers within the chapter showing when you should play each song. E.T. will be **(1)** and Beautiful Disaster will be **(2)**. The sections that technically should have those songs as "background music" may be longer or shorter than the actual song...just deal with it. =P _

_In other news, a number of people commented on how "good" I was at describing torture or just coming up with ways to torture people in the first place...and then one lovely (sadly, anonymous) reviewer said: "You're really scary, you know?" THAT'S THE REACTION YOU SHOULD BE HAVING, PEOPLE! =P I appreciate the "compliments" obviously, but that made me laugh. It's a good thing I'm mentally stable. =P Also, to that anonymous reviewer, I LOVE CRIMINAL MINDS! Anyway, I won't waste anyone else's times with what I would have said to that lovely anonymous person (log in/get an account!) and let you all get on with the update! _

"Hey, Elena?" Myka poked her head around the thick metal door separating the roof of the apartment building from the flight of stairs. Elena was sitting with her back against the brick wall, hugging her knees as she watched the sunset.

"What is it?" She turned to look at the red-haired woman, who was smiling.

"Somebody over at the Shinra infirmary wants to see you."

"They found him?" Elena's eyes lit up and she scrambled to her feet, passing Myka on the way down the stairs. "Wait, the infirmary?" Her face fell again as she stopped and turned to look questioningly at Myka, concern written all over her features.

"Yes, they found him. Daniel just called to let me know. He's going to be ok, don't look so worried!" Myka put an arm around the girl's shoulders and guided her down the rest of the stairs and to the car parked on the street. "We're not sure on the details yet, but so far it just looks like a revenge-on-the-Turks kind of thing. We tend to make enemies, not friends. Whatever the case, the medical staff over at Shinra seem pretty confident that he's going to be fine."

**!#$%^&^%$#!**

Tseng tapped his foot relentlessly against the leg of the chair he sat in, waiting. That was something hospitals were always excellent at: making you wait. When he couldn't take sitting still anymore, he got up and paced back and forth.

"Calm down, Tseng." Daniel spoke up from his chair.

"I will calm down when I know that Reno is alright, who did that to him, why they did it, and that they are all comfortably resting six feet under. Not necessarily in one piece." This last thought seemed to please Tseng and he paused for a moment to relish his little tirade before continuing to walk.

"We'll get 'em eventually." Daniel seemed relatively confident of this. "We just need to talk to Reno for a bit and find out what he knows. The kid's smart, I'm sure he picked up on plenty of useful information while he was there." Tseng simply nodded, realizing the truth in this. He just wanted to get back to Reno as soon as possible. The poor boy had almost lost it again from all the noise and commotion when they'd arrived at the infirmary. When Reno had started trembling and insisting that "the screams" were back, Tseng had ordered a brief timeout, effectively getting the medical staff to get their well-meant hands off the redhead until the boy had stopped shaking. Whatever drug Reno's captors had given him, it was still taking its toll.

The doctor approached, pulling an anxious Tseng from his memories.

"Your friend is going to be just fine." He smiled. "We've patched him up pretty well and he's resting now."

"And what about the drug they were giving him?" Tseng pressed. A small frown appeared on the doctor's face.

"Ah, yes, quite a malicious substance that. It's a hallucinogen, making the victim, see, feel, and hear things that aren't there or distort things that are there. The drug is persistent, still having a lessened effect on him even though the concentration in his bloodstream is going down. It should be completely gone within a few hours."

"Where is he?" Elena broke into their conversation from down the hall, trying to keep from running. Myka followed the girl, looking anxious and amused at the same time. Talan was with them, the small frown on his face about as expressive as he got.

"Try not to overwhelm him." The doctor warned, not about to refuse a group of Turks a visit with another Turk, but technically, his patient shouldn't even be having visitors yet. "Speak softly – remember what I just said about the drug." Showing them to the room, the doctor left them alone, other patients requiring his attentions. Reno was propped up in the bed, his head turned away from them and staring out the small window. White bandages sat atop his nose and, wrapped about his right shoulder, peeked out around the neck and sleeve of the black t-shirt they'd given him.

Elena was at his bedside before most of them even made it into the room. He still stared emptily out the window so she reached out hesitantly to touch him, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder. The touch brought him back to the room from wherever his mind had been and he started, involuntarily pulling away as wide, fearful eyes darted around the room. An instant later, reason had caught up and the heart rate monitor ended its momentary spazz attack.

"I'm sorry!" Elena apologized, looking absolutely stricken. Reno replied by wrapping his arms around the girl's waist and pulling her into a hug, almost making her lose her balance and fall on top of him. When he let her go, the fear was gone from his face, replaced by his usual mischievous grin.

"Sorry for missin' dinner, 'Laney." He didn't even acknowledge his strange reaction a moment ago.

"It's ok." She smiled, a little tearfully, leaning against the side of the bed.

"Aw, come on, 'Laney. Don't cry!" He lowered his voice, speaking softly and leaning back on the fluffy pillows tiredly. "I can't stand seein' ya cry."

"I'm just happy you're alright." Wiping at the corners of her eyes, she looked at the bruise and bandages around and on his nose. "What happened to you?" Her mouth asked the question the moment it entered her mind, without thinking. As soon as she did, she regretted it. A cloud passed over Reno's eyes and they darkened, seeming to stare through her.

"Stuff." He shrugged, glancing away again and crossing his arms over his chest in a subconsciously defensive manner. Elena turned her head to look questioning at the others.

"Reno, I know it's difficult to talk about, and you don't have to until you're ready." Tseng interjected, standing at the foot of the bed. "But we will need to go over the information we recovered from the building and see what you can add to it. It's critical in finding out who these people are and how to bring them down. You don't mess with one of my Turks and get away with it." Tseng's voice had gone from being understanding and calming to dark and dangerous.

"I just…don't wanna talk about it." Reno muttered, still staring moodily out the window. "Where's my damn jello?" He turned back to them all suddenly, the sparkle having returned to his aquamarine eyes.

"What?" Elena questioned, confused by the sudden change of topic.

"Man, you are having some serious mood-swings." Daniel commented, grinning at the redhead.

"Probably the pain meds." Myka smirked, answering Daniel's question. Reno glared at her. "Glad to see you too, Reno." She added.

"The nurse-lady said she was gonna bring me jello! It better be red…" Reno grumbled, ignoring Myka's statement. Unable to help herself, Elena bent over quickly and gave him a peck on the lips, before standing up as straight as the Shinra building and turning a shade of red. This at least managed to distract Reno from the jello conundrum. He cast a disapproving look up at her.

"That was a horribly insufficient kiss." Reno commented, only lowering his voice slightly.

"I'm sorry. But…" Elena turned even brighter red, casting furtive glances at the other Turks in the room and whispering as quietly as she could. Of course, everyone in the room still heard.

"I mean, we could go." Daniel chimed in, grinning hugely and gesturing towards the door. "We were only here to see if you were ok and, you know, say 'glad you're alive' and stuff, but if we're in the way…"

"I don't mind, but 'Laney's shy so…" Reno grinned.

"Reno!" Elena did not enjoy being the center of attention as much as Reno seemed to.

"Oh, quit tormenting the poor girl!" Myka stepped in to defend a rather embarrassed Elena.

"My jello!" Reno declared happily, all previous thoughts fleeing from his mind as a nurse entered the room with the item in question. "Feed it to me, 'Laney!"

"Did something happen to your hands?" She questioned skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"…Yes?"

Elena looked down at the redhead's hands, resting casually in his lap. There were no bandages and nothing more than a scratch or two. She looked back up to his laughing eyes. He was blatantly lying. Still, there was something about the eagerly amused face…looking up at her from the hospital bed, injured, tired, and weak. With a dramatic sigh, Elena took the jello from him and stuck a spoonful of it in his mouth.

"Wrong choice, Elena." Myka shook her head with a laugh. "Now he knows he can walk all over you."

"I don't see anything wrong with that!" Daniel was quick to protest, grinning teasingly. "She's just helping him out. It won't kill you to be gentle and affectionate for once, like Elena."

"Myka. Gentle. Affectionate." Tseng gave a short, sarcastic laugh, earning him a glare from the woman.

"You would actually be surprised." Daniel brought up suddenly, drawing Myka's death-glare to himself now.

"Yes, I imagine I would be _very_ surprised." Tseng smiled mysteriously, giving them both longer-than-necessary looks as he pulled his buzzing cellphone out of his pocket, glancing at the caller ID. "I've got to take this." He stepped into the hall with a smirk, leaving two rather startled and mildly scared Turks behind him.

Myka and Daniel stared at each other with wide, surprised eyes. Elena was watching them and laughed lightly, not surprised in the least. Tseng had been able to tell that something had happened between her and Reno in less than a second, and he knew both Myka and Daniel so much better and for longer too.

"He knows." Talan told them, also leaving the room, apparently satisfied that Reno was fine. Talan, now that was more of a surprise, but he hardly ever talked and quiet people tended to pick up on things, even if he always seemed to be blocking them out, lost in his own little world. When she turned back to feed Reno another spoonful of jello, she frowned. He was leaning forward, holding his head in his hands with his eyes squeezed shut.

"Reno, are you ok?" She was hesitant to touch him after what happened last time, but her voice was enough to catch his attention this time and he flinched, opening his eyes and blinking. He looked around the room as if confused about where he was for a second before recognition flooded his features. "Reno?" Elena repeated, concern wrinkling her forehead. Daniel and Myka were watching with worried interest now too.

"I'm fine...sorry. Probably the…pain meds or somethin'." Reno shrugged it off, making a lame excuse that no one bought. Luckily, he was saved from further questioning by Tseng's re-entrance into the room.

"The technical team we sent in has recovered some information from the mostly destroyed computers." He announced, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "Daniel, Myka, I want you two to come with me. We need to go over the material. Where's Talan?"

"He left right after you." Myka narrowed her eyes searchingly at her superior, looking for more clues towards how much he knew.

"I call him." Tseng hurried the two out of the room. He wasn't that concerned with speed, he just wanted to leave Elena and Reno alone. He had a suspicion that she would help him more than any of them could. "Reno, the doctor is going to let you go early. I convinced him you'd be more comfortable and would thus recover better at home. He'll be by soon to officially release you and give you some painkillers for the road."

"Awesome." Reno commented, visibly perking up. "Will they give me more jello?"

"I can make you some when we get home." Elena told him.

"You can make jello?" Reno turned wide, disbelieving eyes on the girl.

"Yeah, it's super easy." She assured him quickly, anxious to hear the rest of what Tseng had to say.

"I love you." Nothing but pure admiration filled his gaze.

"I know." She whispered, unable to keep a straight face and even turning slightly pink at the words.

"As part of the agreement though," Tseng continued, smirking almost imperceptibly. "You'll have to come by sometime tomorrow morning for a check-up and these will continue every day until you're declared recovered. Also, I'm hoping that tomorrow you will be ready to help us shed some light on the group responsible for kidnapping you." The statement had the feel of a strong suggestion and Reno nodded, suddenly looking so much more tired than he had been before.

"Sure thing, boss-man."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

A warm summer rain fell on Midgar, somehow making the city even more gray, a surprising feat, but a splash of color, bright red to be exact, stood out on the rooftop of an apartment building. Possibly the only people out in the drenching rain, Reno and Elena hadn't bothered to go back inside when the sky had started crying. They stayed exactly where they were, with Reno resting comfortably against the brick wall and Elena settled between his legs, leaning towards him with her hands on his chest for balance while they kissed.

"Ow."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Elena pulled back suddenly, concern on her face but the corners of her mouth twitching up. Reno was rubbing his nose gingerly, also grinning despite the annoying stinging pain that had sprouted in his nose when she accidentally bumped it. He laughed softly, taking in her appearance. The pain medication was making him slightly loopy and everything seemed more funny than he suspected it actually was.

"What?" She questioned, only smiling more. Elena thought the side-effects of the drugs were hilarious. He'd been acting weirder than usual all afternoon.

"Ya look like you've been half-drowned." He laughed happily. Water droplets dripped off her nose steadily and strands of her hair clung to her face messily. Soaked clothes stuck to her skin.

"Yeah? You're not invincible to rain either, Reno." She wasn't mad. It was too hard to be mad at him, especially when he'd spent the last half hour making out with her.

"I never said it was a bad thing." Reno circled his arms about her waist, pulling her closer to him. "It's cute. Sexy even." He made no attempt to hide the fact as he glanced down to her chest with a smirk, looking back up to her face with a devious spark in his eyes. "Nice choice of bra, 'Laney." She turned a shade of red to rival his hair at this "compliment", unable to stop herself from looking down to check which one she was wearing. _Holy crap, Elena, really?_ She could have slapped herself. What had inspired her to wear a brightly-colored leopard print bra with a_ white t-shirt_? The horror on her face only made him laugh more as he placed his hands on her cheeks, pulling her face down so he could press her lips to his again. Elena abandoned her embarrassment for the moment, deciding she had more important things to focus on as Reno slid his tongue over her bottom lip.

"Your jello is probably ready now." Elena commented several minutes later, starting to pull away, but Reno wouldn't let her.

"Don't care." He didn't waste much time to speak, leaning forward to capture her lips yet again. Elena let him kiss her for a minute more before she pushed him gently away, laughing happily at his greed.

"But I made it for you! And I'm cold." Elena lied. The rain was fairly warm and Reno had managed to keep her pretty much constantly flushed the whole time they'd been out on the roof. She had noticed _him_ shivering though, and not just when she'd accidentally brushed against him in a place she hadn't meant to.

"Fine." Reno wouldn't refuse if he thought she was uncomfortable. "Help me up?" He took the hand she offered with his good arm, using it to assist in pulling himself to his feet without hurting the messy gash in his gut. The doctor had complained about how difficult it had been to stitch it up. "Shredded" was the word he'd used.

"Go take a hot shower. It'll warm ya up." Reno pointed towards the bathroom with a commanding air as the couple returned inside, dripping wet.

"You can go first. I don't mind." Elena mentally cursed. She wanted _him_ to warm up. She wasn't that cold but couldn't tell him that now without revealing her lie.

"I want my jello!" He shook his head and grinned, already heading into the kitchen in search of the much-coveted food. "It's like….the craziest food ever!" He wasn't even on the topic of showers anymore. Elena just smiled as he continued to ramble about how great jello was and accepted defeat. _Well, I'll be quick. _

She couldn't lie to herself: the hot shower did feel fantastic after being out in the rain. Drying off and putting on her dry clothes quickly, Elena found Reno still in the kitchen, sitting on the counter, spoon in hand, staring dismally at the empty pan that used to have jello in it.

"I ate it all! Sorry if ya wanted some!" He drawled loudly, looking up at her as she entered the room. "It was just…so wiggly and it tasted like strawberries and it was red and I love red and it was practically askin' to be eaten!" Elena laughed and kissed him, if for nothing else than to shut him up.

"Now _you_ taste like strawberries." She smiled up at him, biting her lip.

"Yeah, well, I'm just awesome like that." He smirked, taking complete credit for tasting like strawberries.

"I'll make you more jello while you take a shower. Make sure to put on dry clothes."

"Yes, ma'am." He mock-saluted and gently slid off the counter. Watching him disappear into the bathroom, Elena smiled to herself, deciding to play some music while she made the jello. **(1)** One of her favorite songs, one that reminded her of Reno, came on and it was like the music had possessed her. She felt compelled to dance, and soon left the jello completely forgotten on the counter as she moved to the music. It was almost as if the song directed her motions, and she happily obeyed, a tiny part of her surprised that her body seemed to already know what it was doing. _Well, I did grow up with a bunch of prostitutes. _She'd certainly never had reason to move like this before and it made her feel sexy. She hoped the chair didn't mind getting a lap dance.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Shutting the water off, Reno frowned and listened. There was definitely music playing, and rather loudly at that. Shaking his head and smiling, Reno didn't bother drying off. He just went ahead and put his clothes on, waiting to put his shirt on until he'd replaced the bandages over the knife wound and re-wrapped his shoulder. The gash was easy enough: just slap some gauze over it and tape it down. The shoulder was another thing altogether. Reno doubted he would have been able to decently wrap it even if he'd been at his best, but now he was sore and stretching at all always seemed to pull on something that hurt.

"'Laney!" He started calling her immediately, wandering out of the bathroom with his shirt in one hand and a roll of bandages in the other. _She probably can't hear me over this music…_ Reno didn't care. Some music just required a loud volume. It would simply be wrong to play it quietly. And by the sound of it, this song certainly had a fair amount of attitude…

"'Laney?" He determined she was in the kitchen, but slowed to a stop in the kitchen doorway, eyebrows raising at the sight. Elena seemed to have abandoned the half-made jello that was sitting on the counter and was using a large serving spoon as a microphone, singing and dancing around the kitchen. She didn't notice him. Watching with wide eyes as the girl danced in a manner that very much suited the risqué song, Reno decided he would basically give anything to be in the chair she was currently employing as a prop. His eyes were riveted on her hungrily.

"Damn, Elena." Reno commented when the music died, leaning in the doorway with a smirk. "Had no idea ya could move like that." Elena gasped and whirled around, clutching the spoon to her chest, color rushing to her face. Her mouth opened and closed while she searched for words.

"You saw that?" She finally said. Reno simply nodded, chuckling softly. "I got distracted…from the jello."

"I noticed." He smirked, pushing off the doorframe and making his way to the chair she'd just finished with, taking a seat and holding up the roll of gauze, eyes sparkling devilishly. "So, you can wrap my shoulder up for me, or do that little dance again. I'm happy with either." Looking mortified, Elena took the gauze from him silently and began to tightly wrap his right shoulder.

"It was dislocated, you say?" Elena cleared her throat and tried to casually change the subject.

"Yeah. Doc says to keep it wrapped for a few days." Reno replied, fiddling with the red t-shirt in his hands.

"That must have hurt." She thought out loud, frowning slightly.

"It did." It was the tone of his voice more than the short answer that caught her attention. When his voice was so completely empty, devoid of any emotion and monotone, she knew he was trying hard to keep it that way. Elena taped the gauze down and smoothed it, surveying her work for a short moment before cupping his face in her hands, forcing his pained aquamarine eyes to look into hers.

"I'm sorry, Reno." She whispered seriously, leaning in and kissing one of the two matching scars that decorated his cheekbones. The long breath he sighed out skimmed over her neck.

"Just part of bein' a Turk, I guess." Reno shrugged it off, shoving his emotions away and gingerly pulling his shirt on over his head when she moved away to finish the jello.

"You don't have to act like it's nothing." Elena commented, a small frown appearing between her eyebrows as she stirred the red liquid.

"Maybe I'm not acting." Reno got himself a glass of water, raising his eyebrows and giving a tight-lipped smile. Elena sighed. It was too late, he'd already turned his back on the brief show of emotion and wasn't about to acknowledge it now. She worried it would only build and get worse if he continued to ignore it. Still, she bit her tongue and let it go, knowing it wouldn't do any good to push it now.

"Wanna watch a movie?" He asked, trying to quickly move past the conversation he did not want to be having.

"Sure, go find something. I'm almost done with this."

When Elena joined him on the couch a few minutes later, he'd found a chick-flick on TV and was waiting for her.

"I dunno what this is, but it looks girly." He grinned up at her. She rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"Just because I'm a girl does not automatically mean I like 'girly' movies." She corrected, snuggling up against him as he put an arm around her shoulders.

"Sure." Reno didn't sound like he believed her. Despite her defensive statement a moment ago, within five minutes Elena found herself drawn into the story, while Reno just seemed more interested in making well-timed suggestive comments.

"Quit! You're ruining the movie!" Elena couldn't help but laugh at his latest awkward comment but she poked him gently anyway.

"I'd be quieter if I was eating jello. But no, 'Laney had to work on her pole dancin' and was too busy to make it!" He came back quickly, unable to contain his smirk.

"Shush...you!" Elena pulled away from him, giving him a playful smack on the arm. Too bad she wasn't much good with insults. "There was no pole!"

"I know, it's a pity." Mock sorrow covered his face and he shook his head mournfully.

"Shut up and eat your jello, Reno. It's probably ready now." She gave up, turning her attention back to the movie. Reno looked at her, sitting stiffly with her arms crossed over her chest and a significant amount of color on her cheeks, and he laughed.

"You make it too easy." He shuffled off into the kitchen, still laughing quietly to himself. Elena tried to figure out what had happened on screen during the minute she'd been distracted and she gasped quietly when the movie suddenly cut to another scene, one where the heroine's father backhanded her sharply. A hand raising involuntarily to her lips, Elena actually flinched as the girl took another blow then another and another and another. A knot formed in her stomach and her heart fluttered unpleasantly. She wanted to look away or turn it off, but for some reason she was frozen in place, watching with wide, horrified eyes as the girl's father beat her mercilessly.

"Dammit, 'Laney, sorry." Reno's voice interrupted her dark absorption with the scene before her and he was immediately between her and the TV, snatching up the remote and turning it off. "Why didn't ya turn it off?" He sat next to her, looking into her rather dazed face with a distressed expression. She shrugged, turning her tear-filled eyes to him. His heart wrenched and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his lap even though the slight exertion made his shoulder twinge painfully. Hugging her tightly, protectively, Reno smoothed her hair and stared at the window, watching the rain splash and drip down the glass.

"It's ok." Elena's muffled voice said. "I was just surprised. I'm fine."

"You're safe now." Reno assured her urgently, looking almost pleadingly into her eyes.

"I know." She smiled, wiping the tears that never fell from her eyes. "I think I'm going to go to bed now, actually. Do you need anything before I go?" Reno just shook his head dismissively. He wasn't worried about himself right now.

"You're sure you're alright?"

"Asks the boy who was just rescued after being missing for two days." Elena smiled lightly, kissing his cheek and slipping out of his lap. "Yes, I'm sure. Good night, Reno." She escaped to her bedroom fairly quickly, not wanting him to see how disturbed she really was. It had been easy to forget her past life when her current one was so glorious. There had been nothing around to remind her of her father, but when that scene had snuck up on her, it was like all the pain and fear of all those years had hit her at once and she could literally feel every blow again.

Shuddering and trying to forget, Elena crawled into bed, hoping she'd be normal again by morning. A blue flash lit the sky, followed by a loud crack of thunder and she groaned internally, pulling the covers over her head. She _hated_ thunderstorms. They scared her. _Of all nights!_ Something about how loud, sudden, and unpredictable it was reminded her of her father. _Happy thoughts, Elena._ She closed her eyes shut tight and tried to remember exactly how it had felt, not too many hours ago, safe with Reno on the roof, his lips constantly against hers. It was difficult when every rolling rumble of thunder made her envision her father hitting her, but she eventually fell into an uneasy sleep.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

Elena jerked bolt upright in bed, panting and shaking, clutching her blankets to her. The impossibly loud boom from the angry skies had pulled her from her nightmare, although she wasn't sure which was worse. She'd been re-living every beating she'd ever received, only experienced through the distorting and terrifying lens of a nightmare and now she was with the violent thunderstorm again, _still_ dealing with the memories of her father. Trying to calm her breathing, Elena decided she wasn't going to get much sleep this way. She glanced at the clock. It had been only two hours since she'd left Reno in the living room.

Sliding out from between the sheets, she decided to check and see if he was still awake. She didn't care if he knew how much the movie had scared her now, Elena just needed that safe feeling she'd had when sitting close to him on the couch with his arm around her. Her face fell when she saw the room, empty and dark, lit intermittently by the brilliant blue bursts of light. _Oh well._ It had been too much to believe he'd still be up. It was late, and he was already exhausted from his ordeal. Heading back to her room, Elena started at another loud crack from the storm, stopping in her tracks when she heard a loud curse. _Reno?_ She glanced in the direction of his room. That had definitely been him she heard shouting.

**(2) **Bare feet padding softly on the floor, Elena crept up to his door, noticing that it was open a crack. Another curse, quieter this time, fell upon her ears and she laid her palm on the door, pushing it open softly. A flash of lightning showed Reno, sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed, elbows resting on his knees as he was hunched over, his head held in his hands.

"Reno?" He didn't respond, rocking gently back and forth and muttering curses almost constantly. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she approached slowly, hoping he would notice her. Knowing by now what would happen, Elena put a hand ever-so-gently on his shoulder and watched, her heart twisting sympathetically as he jerked away from the touch, sliding a few feet away from her before his scared and confused eyes recognized her.

"Elena." He breathed, relaxing slightly. The girl crawled onto the bed and sat next to him, putting her arms around him comfortingly and pulling his head down to rest on her collarbone. He relaxed even more against her, putting his arms around her waist, holding on tightly.

"It's ok, Reno."

"You just surprised me, that's all." Reno said in a forced light-hearted tone.

"You don't have to have it together every minute of every day." Elena felt him tense up when she wouldn't let it go. "You just went through hell, I'm sure, and that's extremely upsetting! You should be an emotional and mental wreck right now, but you're not. Because you're very strong, Reno." She kissed the top of his head, wondering if she'd imagined it or if a hot tear had just dripped onto her chest. "But nobody's immune and that includes you. I know, somewhere in there, it's bothering you and the only way that's going to go away is if you quit ignoring those feelings and face them!" She knew now she hadn't been imagining. A few more tears had fallen onto her skin and his shoulders shook almost imperceptibly. "And you might as well deal with it now because I'm not letting go of you until you do." She whispered the last part, rubbing his back as he took a deep, shaky breath.

"It's not so much…" Reno started to speak hesitantly, in a low, rough voice as he straightened up. Sitting next to her with his elbows resting on his knees again, Reno wiped the back of his hand harshly beneath his eyes and continued talking. "It's not so much the…pain. That, I can deal with normally. But that shit they gave me…" Reno almost couldn't believe he was actually talking about it, but she was so easy to talk to. Her gentle, comforting presence combined with the darkness of the room all but made him _want_ to talk. "It really screwed me up, man. I dunno if they told you what it was, but it made everythin' freaky as hell. Makes it seem like everythin's out to get me. That's why I keep flippin' out when ya touch me. It doesn't feel like normal. It feels….I dunno, just the scariest thing you've ever felt." A flash of lightning lit the room again.

"Can I…hug you?" Elena asked uncertainly.

"Yeah." Reno nodded, holding his arms out to her. She settled into them happily, keeping hers around his neck. "It's only coming in spurts while it gets worked out of my system. The doctor said it's effects like to linger for a day or so." Thunder rolled through the room, making them both shudder. "Loud noises too…don't sound normal. That was almost the worst…there was music playin' the whole time. Obnoxiously loud classical crap. A violin can sound a lot like someone screaming bloody murder, yo."

"I'm sorry, Reno." She leaned up and kissed his jaw tenderly.

"Eh, don't worry about it. I'll live." He'd mostly returned to his usual attitude, and Elena hoped it had helped him to talk about it. "Wait, what's your excuse?"

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him with surprised eyes.

"For jumpin'. At the thunder." He nodded towards the window where a bolt of electricity outlined itself brilliantly against the sky for a moment. "I was tortured for a few days under the influence of some badass hallucinogen."

"Well, when you put it that way." Elena felt like a jerk and a wimp. "My reasons are just stupid."

"I'm joking, baby." Reno grinned, she could hear it in his voice even though it was dark. "Come on…tell me! I bared my soul to ya."

"Fine." She sighed. "I'm actually scared of thunderstorms. I know, I know, it's stupid. Tease me if you want."

"Aw, I'm not gonna tease ya!" Reno ruffled her hair playfully. "It's cute. Is that why you came in here? Figured I'd scare the storm away for ya?" The smirk on his face was illuminated by the light that filled the sky for a moment.

"Sort of…I also had a bad dream." The words just started tumbling from her mouth, even though she felt bad for complaining about her problems after what he'd said. "It was…about my father. That's actually why I'm scared of thunderstorms anyway. They remind me of him. And that movie…well, I can't seem to get him out of my head and I keep remembering all the times…he hurt me. So I went looking for you. I feel safe when I'm with you."

Reno had wasted no time in pulling her into his lap as soon as she'd mentioned her father. He leaned against the headboard, holding her protectively in strong arms.

"Aw, 'Laney…that breaks my heart." He whispered, serious again. "I'm gonna kill that bastard someday." The fierceness in his voice surprised the girl.

"Don't! Don't ever go looking for him." Elena shuddered, unable to bear the thought of losing the redhead. "He wouldn't let you live."

"Don't worry about it, baby. I'm not goin' anywhere." He assured her, but she couldn't see the bloodthirsty look in his eyes. They both jumped again at an especially loud crack of thunder, making Reno laugh when the surprise was gone.

"What a pair we make." He picked her hand up and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently. "May as well try and get some sleep." He let Elena go for a moment, lowering himself flat on his back gently, a twinge of pain crossing his face as he rubbed the knife-wound in his abs. Reaching up, he pulled her down next to him, smirking delightedly as she found herself laying on her side next to him, her head on his shoulder and a hand on his chest.

"Good night, Reno." She whispered, feeling the heat rise to her face and wanting to squeal with joy.

"'Night. Wait, I'll only let ya sleep with me if you promise not to try and take advantage of me while I'm weak!" He chuckled quietly. Elena felt the vibration through his chest more than she heard it.

"Never!" She retorted quickly, glad he couldn't see her blush.

"Now I'm offended!"

"Shut up and go to sleep, Reno."

_Author's Note: YAY! Fluff! So be sure and review...let me know your thoughts! I love seeing the reactions to stuff. =) MUCH LOVE GUYS! Oh, yeah, E.T. is actually supposed to be the song Elena was dancing to if you didn't figure it out...it inspired that bit because I always get these urges to dance like a whore when I hear that song...=P Just can't help it. UNTIL NEXT TIME! xD_


	20. Chapter 20

_Author's Note: Hey! Quick update! Actually, I'm really surprised to be updating this quickly because I didn't even write every single night since my last update! Anyway, a few short things before we get started! First of all, to that person who keeps reviewing anonymously: YES GET AN ACCOUNT SO I CAN TALK TO YOU PROPERLY! I can't reply to your stuff in my author's notes all the time! We need to talk about Criminal Minds! =) Secondly, I want to direct everyone's attention to a story I read the other night! It's called "If We Can Save Our Lives..." by ariaswan or something like that. You can find it in my favorites list! I read it in one sitting the other night because it was just so good! I still can't put into words what was so good about it...it wasn't like the writing was perfect or anything, but the emotion behind it was so powerful! Maybe it was just me, but I felt like it was just an amazing story about redemption and forgiveness and whatnot. So go read it. When you're done reading and reviewing this update, that is. xD_

_Speaking of which, this one isn't as long as last time, and not as much fluff either! It's still got some fluff, mostly here at the beginning, and then we get down to some business. Nothing terribly exciting I'm afraid, but the Turks have a lot of stuff going on right now that they've got to sort through! It can't always be settled by running out and shooting a few people! You have to know who to shoot first at least...anyway, I want to briefly address what's going to happen in the very first paragraph here...some of you may know this and some of you may not, but I've had like three surgeries in the past two years and had lots of interesting adventures related to that. Anyhow, what happens in the first paragraph is something that actually started happening to me when I went the whole night with only one dose of vicodin. It was fascinating. ANYWAY. I've talked way too long. Get to it. =) ENJOY!_

Reno felt the world tugging at him, pulling and begging for him to return to consciousness but he didn't want to. Sleep was so warm, so comfortable. Wakefulness would not leave him alone however, and he soon found himself blinking his eyes open groggily. Noticing something with surprise, Reno reached a hand up to his cheek, feeling dampness there. _Tears? _He stared at the moisture on his fingers, confused until, as the rest of his body woke up, he felt the painful throbs with every beat of his heart. _Crap._ He had no idea how long it had been since he'd had his last dose of painkillers. The pain was manageable when he was awake, but it must have been enough to make him cry while he was asleep.

Intriguing as this idea was, Reno forgot all about it when Elena shifted and sighed in her sleep, her breath ghosting over his neck. The dull morning sun of Midgar found its way through the curtains, casting long fingers of light over the two of them, laying much the same as they'd fallen asleep. Reno was on his back with an arm around the girl next to him on her side. Curled up against him, Elena's hand rested lightly on his chest and her head was on his shoulder. Grinning happily, Reno glanced over at the bedside table, hoping to see the small orange container with the painkillers in it. Sure enough, there it sat, seeming to mock him as it sat just out of reach, catching and dispersing the morning light, giving it an orange glow.

Keeping one arm around the girl, Reno reached the other one towards the pill bottle, stretching carefully and wincing as his shoulder complained loudly. If he could just get a little closer… Elena mumbled something unintelligible, sinking her fingers into his t-shirt and clutching a handful of it as she pulled herself closer to him, her nose pressing against his neck, right below his ear. Freezing where he was, Reno waited until she stopped moving and then carefully pulled his arm back, giving up on getting the drugs. He didn't want to wake her up by moving, and frankly, she was killing his pain pretty effectively at the moment anyway. He kissed the top of her head as best he could and closed his eyes, relaxing and enjoying the feel of her so close to him.

"Reno…" Elena muttered again, and this time he heard his name. He was fairly certain she was still asleep, but he replied quietly anyway.

"…Yes?" Reno felt something change in her breathing pattern and she tensed momentarily. What he could only assume were eyelashes tickled against his neck, and Elena's hand suddenly let go of the handful of his shirt she'd been holding.

"Oh, hi." She bolted upright, sitting on her knees next to him, smiling awkwardly and smoothing her hair with an almost frantic attitude.

"'Mornin'." Reno smirked, suddenly feeling cold now that her warmth was missing from his side.

"How are you?" She asked, hesitantly reaching out to straighten the wrinkles she'd left in his t-shirt.

"Not so bad, considering." He glanced over at the bedside table, pointing to the pill bottle. "Grab me those, will ya?" Nodding swiftly, Elena leaned over and grabbed the bottle, handing it to him.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

"…Jello?" Reno looked hopeful as he popped two of the white pills into his mouth and swallowed.

"You need to eat some real food, Reno." Elena looked at him sternly, but with a smile on her face. "How about some nice bacon and eggs?"

"Ok…and then some jello." He looked quite pleased with this solution. Elena rolled her eyes and laughed lightly.

"Fine, _then_ you may have some jello." She crawled off the bed, turning to face him once she was on her feet. He hadn't moved. "Coming?"

"Not until this shit kicks in!" Reno shook his head emphatically, shaking the little orange bottle and making the pills inside rattle noisily. Elena was back on the bed and slid over to him, kissing his broken nose ever-so-gently.

"I love you." She whispered, blushing and sliding away again almost as quickly as she'd come. Reno caught her arm though and pulled her back.

"You missed." With a smirk, he put a hand behind her head and brought her back down to press a soft kiss to her lips before letting her go. "Love ya more, 'Laney." When she was out of sight, Reno let his gaze drift up to the ceiling and he didn't move so much as a muscle, hardly breathing even until the painkillers started to kick in. He wouldn't let her know how much it actually hurt right now.

Elena had just finished cooking when Reno shuffled into the kitchen, his sweatpants, somehow slightly longer than his already long legs, almost tripping him every now and then. Scratching his head and yawning, Reno collapsed heavily into a chair. Crossing his arms on the table, he let his head fall there.

"Ugh, morning. It's happening again." His muffled complaint made Elena laugh as she put a plate down in front of him.

"Yes, mornings usually come every day." She smiled, sitting down with her own plate.

"I haven't given up yet!" Reno picked his head up, a smirk on his sleepy face. "I'm still waitin' for the day when I wake up and its afternoon."

"So, last Saturday?" Elena snorted. Reno just spit his tongue out at her as he pulled his plate towards him, eying the contents unenthusiastically.

"No offense, Elena, but I'm not really hungry. I'm sure it's great and all…I just don't have an appetite." Elena looked up as he stared at his plate listlessly. Swallowing the scrambled egg in her mouth, she took in his already skinny frame and tried to remember if he'd eaten anything but jello yesterday. She didn't think he had, which meant he hadn't eaten "real" food in three days now. Picking her strategy, Elena pretended to ignore his comment.

"I had a dream about you last night." She smiled flirtatiously, laughing on the inside at how quickly he perked up, completely forgetting the food before him.

"Really?" Reno smirked. "Tell me about it."

"No." She flatly refused, smiling hugely at the stricken look on his face.

"No? What? Was it a sex dream? You had a sex dream about me. I _know_ it. Just admit it."

"Maybe." Elena wore her very best poker face, managing for once in her life to not blush. "Maybe not. You'll never know." She calmly speared a piece of scrambled egg, putting it in her mouth and chewing deliberately, pretending to be unaware of his itching curiosity. He just _had_ to know now.

"Aw, come on! Don't be like that! What do I gotta do to make ya tell me?" He pleaded. "If it was about me, I have a right to know!"

"Well…" Elena seemed to consider this. "Ok fine. I'll tell you, _if_ and _only if_ you eat all of the lovely breakfast I made for you. It's delicious." She brandished a piece of bacon triumphantly, knowing he had no choice but to eat. Sure enough, the stubborn look faded from his face as he sighed and picked up a fork.

"Ok, tell me!" Reno demanded the second he was done eating and Elena hoped she could keep from laughing long enough to speak.

"Alright. Ready?" She smiled dramatically. "Like I said, I had a dream about you….well, not so much _you_ as a chocobo with bright red hair named Reno." She cracked up immediately at the disappointed, irritated, and amused look that appeared on the redhead's face, the conflicting emotions battling it out.

"Oh, that's clever, 'Laney. _Very_ clever. A chocobo named with Reno with the same color hair?" He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Did you really dream about that?" Amused curiosity filled his eyes as he looked at her quizzically.

"Actually, yes. You were my pet chocobo and you did nothing but eat jello and run in circles all day. So basically exactly like you." She giggled, unable to contain her laughter.

"I hate you." Reno grinned.

"No you don't. You _love_ me! You said so." Elena teased, picking up the plates and putting them in the sink. Her laugh turned into a yelp of surprise as his arms circled around her waist from behind, turning her to face him.

"I did say that, didn't I." He said softly, holding her close and kissing her tenderly. _I hope you know how much I meant it._

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Um, yo?" Reno leaned in the doorway to the Turks' conference room, one hand holding Elena's loosely. His greeting caught the attention of all the other Turks, who all looked up. Tseng even stopped mid-sentence. The room was mostly in the dark, a few lamps illuminated piles of paper strewn in a chaotic yet organized manner over the large mahogany table but did not cast glares upon the various projection screens that covered three of the walls.

"Ah, Reno. I'm glad you feel well enough to join us." Tseng nodded his head at the younger Turk, standing next to the table and leaning on it with both hands. Coffee cups and take-out containers littered whatever surfaces weren't covered with papers. In more than one instance, a handgun was being used as a paper-weight. "We've been looking into the circumstances surrounding your capture."

"Have ya been here all night?" Reno looked a little surprised. Elena's wide eyes looked slowly around the room and she thought it looked like a scene pulled straight from an action movie.

"Yes." Daniel answered, looking jealously at Reno's sweats and t-shirt. "We don't take it lightly when somebody messes with one of us." His words were serious, but the cheerful look he usually wore was still there.

"Well, damn. Now I kinda feel bad for lazin' around while you guys worked all night!" Reno scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Don't." Tseng said simply. "Like Daniel said, screwing with the Turks is serious business." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he did when frustrated. "We have recovered a decent amount of information from the building where you were held, but there's still a lot we don't know and I'm hoping you can shed some light on the situation." Reno nodded, eyes flicking around the room almost nervously as he pushed off the doorway.

"I'll be out here." Elena said quietly to him, nodding her head towards the lounge area. Reno kept his hold on her hand and turned to Tseng.

"Can she stay?" Reno asked. Tseng hesitated for a moment, taking in the slightly pained look in Reno's eyes and the way he shifted back and forth from one foot to the other uncomfortably. Tseng hadn't expected Reno to recover mentally and emotionally overnight, and this was definitely going to be an upsetting meeting for the redhead. Tseng nodded, deciding to screw protocol for once. Reno grinned, tugging on the girl's hand, gently pulling her into the room with him as they both took seats in the comfy black swivel chairs that surrounded the table.

"Just don't tell anybody." Reno winked at her.

"Or you'll have to kill me, right, I get it." Elena was excited. It felt highly mysterious and important and she couldn't wait to see them all at work. Reno kicked his combat-boot-clad feet up on the table and whipped out a container of jello from seemingly nowhere.

"Comfort food." He explained with a smirk.

"Ok, well let's get started then." Tseng rubbed his hands together in a business-like fashion, turning to one of the projection screens. "Reno, just let us know if you need a break." With the click of a button on the remote in his hand, Tseng brought up headshots of about ten men and women, the pictures looking exactly like the ones that went on their Shinra ID cards. "Do you recognize any of these people?"

"Yeah." Reno nodded curtly, pointing out four of them. "Those were the scientists I saw in that warehouse and they were there when I was… held captive, I guess."

"Just as I thought…" Tseng muttered. "Those are all the scientists that have ever left Shinra in circumstances that did not involve…termination."

"Uh, did you find out what they wanted me for?" Reno questioned, shoving another spoonful of jello in his mouth.

"Bits and pieces." Tseng dug around through some folders for a moment before Myka handed him the one he was looking for. Flipping through it briefly, Tseng tossed it over to Reno. "They're the same group we've been trying to get our hands on recently in relation to the missing DNA samples. They seem to be interested in genetic advancements. Bought those DNA samples from a still-employed scientist here at Shinra who, by the way, was confronted this morning once we got positive proof he was responsible. He's being held until I have time to go interrogate him, but I don't think he knows much. Anyway, your captors seemed to think you were an actual Shinra test subject…"

"I don't know how intelligent these people could be, if they thought _Reno_ was somehow super-human." Myka gave a short, sarcastic laugh. "Super-humanly annoying maybe!" She threw a packet of sugar at him which Reno caught easily.

"I could kick your ass and you know it." Reno grinned, breaking the solemn look that had been growing on his face.

"We digress." Tseng commented loudly, drawing everyone's attention again. "So they thought you were somehow genetically advanced. Although exactly why they thought that is still a mystery to me. I have records of blood tests performed with nothing but negative and inconclusive results. I guess they didn't find what they were looking for. There was something interesting…where's that folder?" Tseng flipped through stacks of paper, digging around for a specific page.

"Is it this?" Daniel held up several sheets of paper and Tseng's face lit up as he took them from the other man.

"These." Tseng put the papers down in front of Reno, spreading them out. "Do you have any idea what these are?" Reno let his feet fall of the table and he leaned forward to frown at the pages. Simple drawings of different mazes were on each paper, along with small segments of writing.

"Yup." Reno spoke slowly. "I know what those are." He sighed and bent his head for a moment, running his hand through his messy hair. Elena squeezed his hand. "Those are mazes…just drawings of the life-size thing. Gimme blueprints." Talan shoved a crude, hand-drawn set of a blue-prints towards the redhead. "They set it up in this room. They seemed convinced I would be able to get through it without makin' any wrong turns and like, really fast." Reno shrugged. "I dunno why. It was weird and I obviously couldn't do it." Reno leaned back in his chair, looking up at Tseng who took the papers back with a frown.

"I see." Tseng mused, eyes flicking over the sparse writing on the pages quickly, lips moving silently as he read. "Wait a minute…this one's different."

"What do ya mean?" Reno frowned, leaning forward again as Tseng showed him the page. The other three Turks in the room and Elena all leaned forward curiously as well.

"The things they recorded, like how long it took and number of wrong turns." Tseng compared the different one to the others. "You were much quicker this time and didn't take any wrong turns." Reno looked surprised.

"Um, I dunno." He rubbed his forehead and focused on the page. "To tell ya the truth, I don't really remember it all that clearly. I remember them explainin' it to me, and I remember doin' it a couple times but…the next thing I can really remember is wakin' up later."

"Disc 24." Myka said, gaining everyone's confused attention. She rolled her eyes, exasperated, pointing to another handwritten note on the page. "Disc 24. Did they have cameras in there? It looks like they recorded it."

"A number of discs containing security camera footage were recovered." Tseng's eyes lit up with interest as he turned to a cardboard box in the corner. "Many were destroyed though… Ah, here we go. Number 24." Daniel slid over in his swivel chair, taking the disc from Tseng and sliding over to the computer that controlled everything in the room. "You don't have to watch this, Reno." Tseng looked at the redhead.

"It's fine." Reno said quickly, stabbing his jello fiercely. "I lived through it, I don't see why the hell I can't watch it." Tseng shrugged and they all turned their attention to one of the screens that now displayed footage from a low-quality security camera. There was no sound, but they remained absolutely silent anyway, creating an almost eerie atmosphere in the room. The sight was an almost bizarre one: a huge maze constructed in the midst of an empty room. Figures could be seen on both ends of the maze and sprinkled over a catwalk surrounding the edges of the room, about a story high. Not much was happening on screen, but they all kept their eyes glued on one of the figures. This one had blood-red hair and appeared to be on the ground before the maze, not moving.

Elena glanced hesitantly at Reno. He was frowning deeply at the screen, watching as intensely as the others. He shook his head slightly and bit his lip as the figure on the screen pulled himself off the ground and took off suddenly, navigating the maze easily without a moment's hesitation at any twist or turn. Several figures had flooded the maze a minute before from the opposite end and were littered throughout the path. The silent group in the room watched, transfixed, as the blurry redhead seemingly breezed past every opponent, leaving each one unmoving or writhing in pain in his wake. With a final, stunning kick that sent a man flying at least ten feet, the redhead exited the maze and promptly collapsed. As a number of people rushed over, the image vanished in a sea of gray fuzz.

All eyes turned on Reno, who was shaking his head, eyes closed and a frown on his face. He sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. Elena touched his hand and he almost whisked it away, but caught himself, relaxing and holding her hand.

"It's…faint." He said a moment later. "I vaguely remember…them being in the maze. They weren't there before."

"Why are you trying to make him remember?" Talan spoke up from his seat, directing his quietly murmured question to Tseng, who looked a little guilty.

"You're right…" He turned to the redhead who was clearly struggling to recall what had happened. "Don't worry about it, Reno. It's not that important."

"I was mad!" Reno straightened up suddenly, a subdued, yet triumphant look on his face. "Something he said…made me mad. And I proved him wrong."

"'He'?." Myka interjected quizzically, raising an eyebrow.

"Dude!" Daniel looked like he might explode. "That was freakin' _awesome_!"

"Yeah, well, what can I say?" Reno shrugged, a small grin on his face. "Don't piss me off."

"Daniel, don't get distracted." Tseng chastised, not even glancing at the man. "Answer Myka's question, Reno. Who is the 'he' you just referred to? One of the scientists?"

"No…the guy in charge. He wasn't one of the scientists." Reno's eyes darkened. "I never saw him. Only heard him. He sounded familiar, but I can't place it…" This drew Tseng's attention.

"Familiar? Like who?"

"I dunno."

"Think hard, Reno. Try to remember." Tseng pressed. The other Turks watched the redhead expectantly. Elena watched too, but more concerned about him than interested in what he would say. She wondered if the others had noticed the rising panic in his eyes. If they'd been alone, she would have told him to quit thinking about it and kissed him, just to make sure he stopped. She'd feel awkward getting in the way of the Turks' investigation though.

"Ya think I haven't tried to remember?" Reno snapped, looking angrily at Tseng, his temper flaring.

"If you can connect that voice to a face even, you've cut the time we'll spend searching for this bastard in half. A name, and we'll be done with him by tonight." Tseng's voice was urgent.

"You're pushing him too hard." Talan warned, not raising his voice at all, even though the tenseness in the room had been steadily increasing. Tseng didn't have time to react before Reno interjected loudly.

"Shit!" He flinched, suddenly curling over, his head in his hands. His knuckles turned white and he was shaking. The room was suddenly in an uproar as the Turks, excepting Talan who only frowned and leaned forward, began shouting. The long night was catching up to all of them, making them abruptly irritable with each other at this stressor.

"Reno?"

"What the hell was that? What's wrong?"

"This is your fault, Tseng!" Myka snapped, getting to her feet abruptly and approaching Reno just as the others were doing. "If you hadn't forced him to re-live all that crap…" She didn't finish her sentence. Her eyes widening, Elena's momentary surprised silence ended as she raised a hand warningly, trying to stop the others as they all reached simultaneously for Reno.

"Don't touch him!" She shouted, catching their attention a little too late. In their various efforts to calm the redhead and find out what was wrong, Tseng, Daniel, and Myka had all put a hand on his back or touched his arm or something. Reno jolted, wrenching away from them and swearing again, a hand pressing involuntarily over the wound in his side. The sharp movements were no doubt hurting him.

"Don't touch him." Elena repeated uselessly. The Turks had all pulled back in alarm immediately, looking quizzically to Elena now for answers, nervous tension filling the room and threatening to burst into another shouting match. Anticipating this, Elena cautioned them. "Just…be quiet." A small part of her realized she'd just given a roomful of Turks a rather terse order. But the majority of her attention was on Reno and she didn't have time to worry about that right now. Reno was still bent over, hands clasped behind his head protectively and breathing heavily.

"He needs to go to the infirmary." Tseng whispered, looking positively shamed. He felt responsible for Reno's panic attack.

"Give him a minute…" Elena scooted closer to the redhead slowly. "He'll be ok. This happened last night too. Loud noises and being touched seem to really bother him."

"I'm sorry." Tseng apologized. "It must be the residual effects of that drug. The doctor said it might take a day or so for it to completely wear off." Elena ignored him for the time being and slid out of her chair, crouching on the ground in front of Reno. At least from here she could see his face. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut and his jaw was clenched.

"Reno?" She called him softly, reaching out gentle fingers to brush his cheek. He opened his eyes slowly, looking at her blankly, as if he didn't know what was happening. "You ok?" She smiled up at him sympathetically. The confusion in his wide eyes passed as he realized where he was and what was going on. Nodding shortly, he picked his head up and straightened in his chair, glancing around at the others. They all stared back with varying mixtures of concern, surprise, and guilt.

"Sorry about that." Reno managed a half-hearted laugh and sheepish grin, scratching the back of his head uncomfortably. "Where's my jello?" He muttered the last part to himself, looking around quickly and snatching the mostly empty bowl from a nearby stack of files. Getting off the floor, Elena stood behind Reno's chair, leaning over the back, her arms around his neck, hands resting on his chest in a sort of hug. She looked around at the other Turks almost expectantly. Reno seemed completely absorbed in his jello for the moment, apparently trying to ignore the panic attack he'd just had.

"We're done." Tseng announced firmly. Reno looked up at the man in surprise.

"But we haven't figured anything out!" Daniel protested, also appearing surprised along with the other Turks.

"Let me rephrase…_you're_ done." Tseng looked at Reno. "This investigation is officially off-limits to you."

"What?" Reno protested. "I'm more involved than any of you!"

"Orders, Reno." Tseng remained firm. "Follow them. Now get to the infirmary for your check-up. I received a call from the doctor earlier. You never showed."

"I was hopin' I could avoid that…" Reno rolled his eyes.

"Elena, you do recall that you'll be starting school tomorrow, correct?" Tseng ignored the redhead, turning his attention to the girl.

"Oh! I forgot." Elena straightened up automatically while being addressed by the Turk leader. He seemed to exude authority and command respect somehow.

"All you have to do is show up on time and they'll get you situated." Tseng smiled lightly. "I hope you'll enjoy it."

"Enjoy it?" Reno gave a sarcastic laugh. "As if. Why does 'Laney have to go to school?"

"I believe we already had this discussion, Reno, and if I were you, I would watch what you say." Tseng appeared completely disinterested. "Give me sixty seconds and a phone call and you'll be on your way to school tomorrow morning as well." A small smirk appeared on Tseng's face as Reno got up and left the room, trailing Elena behind him without another word.

_Author's Note: Hehehehe, nothing like the threat of school to make Reno shut up! I'm not going to say much here since I already talked everyone's ears off earlier...sorry! I had caffeine earlier and that always makes me REALLY talkative! =) Oh, one last thing! Fox, I'll be looking for your review and it better be there! xD Much love guys!_


	21. Chapter 21

_Author's Note: Update! So we have a bit of a slow chapter here, but its necessary to get things rolling! There's a lot of little things that have to get set up and dealt with and arranged just so before we can move towards the finale! And I'm SO excited to write that part. Also, I forgot absolutely everything I wanted to say. So, just read it, I guess. Please review! =) _

Elena kicked her feet against the legs of the chair she was sitting in, staring pointlessly at the ceiling. Reno had given in to paying the doctor a visit fairly easily, after Tseng had threatened him with school. Elena smiled faintly at the memory. Mentally reviewing the rather interesting morning and early afternoon, she thought over the video from the security cameras that she'd seen with the Turks. The quality hadn't been very good, so it was hard to make out a details, a fact she wasn't sure if she was glad for or not. As horrible as it was, Elena couldn't help but be amazed and fascinated with the Reno she'd seen in the video. She knew the kinds of things you had to be good at as a Turk and she knew that he was pretty good at all those things. She'd never actually seen him in action though, and watching him go through the maze, taking down enemy after enemy in a seemingly effortless fashion, she'd felt a strange and confusing mixture of pride and fear.

Obviously she wasn't worried Reno would ever hurt her, but it was still startling, in a way, to learn that underneath the mischievous, funny, and sweet exterior, your boyfriend was a highly skilled killer. At the same time, pride had swelled within her and she felt a morbid curiosity tickling her mind. _I want to see Reno kick some more ass!_

"Well, I ain't dead." Reno declared happily, drawing Elena sharply from her thoughts. "That's basically how useful this stupid check-up was."

"Glad to hear it." Elena laughed and smiled, getting out of her chair and standing up on her tiptoes to kiss his smirking lips lightly. Wrapping his arms securely around her waist, Reno picked her up and twirled her around.

"Reno!" She cried out in surprise, holding onto his shoulders and laughing. "Put me down! You'll hurt yourself." He complied fairly easily, making Elena certain it was actually hurting him. Otherwise he'd never give in so easily.

"Wanna do something for Tseng?" Reno grinned, a distinctly wicked expression on his face.

"What?" Elena was suddenly wary, giving him a suspicious look.

"Oh, nothing." The redhead only grinned more, pulling her off towards the elevator.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"No, Reno, don't do it!" Elena begged urgently, between gasping laughs. It was hilarious, but oh so wrong. Reno didn't listen to her, picking the lock to Tseng's office in hardly the blink of an eye and quickly ushering the girl in.

"Aw, it'll make him laugh!" Reno lied, glancing around the office and trying to decide the best placement for his little "surprise". He had an armload of trashy magazines, mostly filled with risqué pictures. Of men.

"Do I even want to know why you have those?" Elena whispered despite herself. She didn't want any part of this, but she didn't want to get caught either! She stifled another laugh. Reno was carefully tucking the magazines away in various places: the shelves, the drawers, simply laid on the desk.

"Hey, it was practically a public service!" Reno declared, also speaking in hushed tones. They weren't that far away from the conference room where the other Turks were gathered. "The secretaries down in the lobby won't be as distracted from work anymore! They'll be ten times more productive. The whole damn buildin' should be thanking me, yo!" He stood back to examine his work. The methodic placement ensured that Tseng would be finding these gifts for quite some time. Snickering one last time, Reno grabbed Elena's hand and pulled her out of the man's office, making sure the door was locked behind them.

Sighing impatiently, Reno stared at the closed door to the conference room. He spent a good five minutes prowling around the entrance, trying in vain to eavesdrop. Unfortunately for him, Shinra did not approve of eavesdroppers and areas such as the Turks' private conference room were sound-proofed quite well. Elena watched in amusement from where she'd settled on the big, black, leather sofa, flipping through TV channels that she wasn't really paying attention to. Finally giving up, Reno kicked the wall irritably, shuffling over to the couch and allowing himself to fall on it.

"They're gonna need me!" Reno insisted with an almost threatening tone, yawning as he placed his head in Elena's lap, grinning up at her with sparkling aquamarine eyes. "Ya don't mind, do ya? Good, thanks." He didn't allow her time to express an opinion about it, but she didn't care. His eyes were already closing sleepily when she smiled back, shaking her head.

"No, I don't mind." Elena turned the volume on the TV down a bit and smoothed the fiery mess of red hair out of Reno's face. He was already asleep. Her smile turned sad as she noticed how obvious the pain and exhaustion was on his face when he slept. She wondered how on earth she would be able to do something as mundane as go to school again. Since she met Reno, her life had been far from normal, though she'd never really "fit in" even before she'd started dating the teenage Turk.

Thirty minutes later, the door to the conference room suddenly burst open and the room's occupants poured out quickly. Elena looked up curiously, but didn't feel she had a right to ask what was going on as all of them but Tseng hurried off. Tseng was checking and loading two black handguns, his jacket tucked under his arm.

"What did the doctor say?" Tseng asked the girl, but it was clear his attention was not totally focused.

"He's doing fine." Elena reported, glancing down at the sleeping redhead, nervous about their little prank now that she was in the presence of the intimidating man. "Been sleeping for a while now."

"Good." Tseng commented, adjusting the leather straps of his shoulder holster before tucking the weapons into their spots. Daniel, Myka, and Talan all returned just as quickly as they'd left, only now all of them were fully armed. Myka tugged at fingerless red leather gloves on her hands, stretching her fingers out and wiggling them before making a tight fist. Daniel was busy searching for places to store the fistful of throwing knives he held easily and Talan stood quietly, but tensely nearby, holding a long, sheathed katana loosely.

"Ready?" Tseng asked them, shrugging his jacket on. Talan didn't so much as move, Myka nodded curtly and Daniel grinned enthusiastically.

"They'd better be praying I don't find them." He said.

"So…what's all the fuss about?" Reno drawled lazily from Elena's lap, his suspicious gaze focused on Tseng. "Ya seem to be in an awful hurry." He sat up, crossing his arms and looking at all the prepared Turks. Even if he wasn't one of them, he would have been about to tell something was about to happen.

"We discovered a list of back-up locations; hideouts all over the city. It's quite possible and likely, in fact, that one of these is where the group has relocated. Even if they're smart enough to pick entirely new locations, they had to have re-grouped somewhere. I can explain more later. Right now speed is imperative." Tseng spoke hurriedly, looking less-than-thrilled that the redhead had woken up before they could escape.

"I'm comin'." Reno got off the couch but Tseng pushed him back down firmly.

"Do you remember about two hours ago when I said you were no longer involved in this investigation?" Tseng raised an eyebrow challengingly.

"You'll regret it." Reno spoke in an almost sing-song tone, his eyes sparking dangerously, but he remained seated.

"I don't think I will." Tseng said dryly, motioning to the others to move out. "Let's split up. Each of us should take a separate location. We'll have to coordinate our attacks in case they monitor each location. I don't want them getting advance warning…" Tseng's voice died off as the group moved out of earshot. Reno huffed and crossed his arms irritably, muttering something under his breath.

"He's only trying to protect you." Elena ventured to say, not sure if it would be better to say something or just keep quiet.

"And such a damn good job of it he's doin'." Reno replied sarcastically, rubbing the stab wound on his abdomen as had become habit for him.

"Don't blame Tseng, blame those bastards he's trying to catch!" She scooted closer to him, throwing her arms around his neck, trying to get his mood to lighten. She could feel him relaxing slightly, but he still scowled at the ground.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Reno sighed. "I don't blame the guy. I'm just bein' obnoxious." He grinned finally, glancing at her. "Wanna get some food?"

"Sure." She agreed quickly, though she wasn't very hungry, but because he was actually expressing an interest in food that wasn't jello. She didn't think she'd be able to trick him into eating real food again, but it would be a problem if he was getting his appetite back.

"Come on. There's a café thingy a few floors down." He got to his feet and held a hand out to her. The redhead pulled on her hand lightly as he led her into the hallway where a small commotion caught their attention. A handful of people had just exited the elevator and bustled in their direction quickly. President Shinra and several personal assistants strode purposefully down the hall. The President had a carefully crafted look of superiority, disdain, and general carelessness on his face while his aids all had the same look of frantic stress, as if they were all on the verge of a panic attack and a complete mental breakdown.

"You." The President addressed Reno sharply, his condescending look only increasing at the sight of the young man. "Where's Tseng? I'm on my way out and need to speak with him briefly."

"He ain't here, yo." Reno's lazy drawl seemed to suddenly become more pronounced as he smirked at the powerful man.

"Well, where is he?" President Shinra demanded, a frown forming on his face. "I haven't got all day."

"Out doin' his job. Whatcha gotta tell him?" Reno questioned back, ignoring the alarmed looks on the faces of the President's assistants.

"I don't have time to waste explaining it to _you_." The President turned up his nose. "I'll leave a message for him."

"Why don't ya leave a note in his office?" Reno offered happily, gesturing to the man's closed office door right across the hall. Elena's eyes widened, picturing in her head Tseng's desk, currently covered in suggestive pictures of men.

"I suppose that will do." A note was quickly produced by one of the assistants. President Shinra's ID card apparently was capable of accessing every corner of the building, and the man used it to unlock Tseng's office.

"Come on." Reno whispered to Elena, chuckling evilly as the President entered the office. Reno gently pushed the girl towards the elevators and they were safely inside one, not sticking around to see the President's reaction.

"You wanted him to see those pictures, Reno!" Elena accused, unable to resist grinning, but a nervous knot of worry was in her stomach. She didn't ever want to learn what an angry Tseng was like.

"He shouldn't have kicked me off the investigation." Reno smiled smugly, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder. "I had to find _somethin'_ to do with all my extra time!"

"I don't see how you have the nerve to do stuff like this! Or how you don't get fired."

"Aw, Tseng's a big softy on the inside. He couldn't fire me. Plus, I'm too good to fire." He smirked, drawing a smiley face in the floor buttons on the elevator as they stepped onto the floor almost solely dedicated to feeding Shinra's employees.

Reno and Elena had been in the café, eating and then just enjoying the pleasant atmosphere, for almost an hour when Reno's phone buzzed insistently in his pocket.

"It's Tseng." A huge grin appeared on Reno's face when he pulled it out and glanced at it. Waiting for it to ring a few more times, much to Elena's discomfort, Reno finally answered with a slow and lazy drawl.

"What?" He was still grinning expectantly.

"You know exactly what, you…you-" Tseng's furious voice could even be heard by Elena. Reno cut the man off before he could come up with a word to describe the redhead.

"Aw, I make you speechless! I'm so touched!"

"Get back here right now, young man." Tseng demanded.

"Holy crap, what are ya, my mother?" Reno wasn't the least bit perturbed. Elena wasn't sure if this should comfort her, or scare her more.

"_Now_, Reno." Tseng hung up and Reno tucked his phone back into his pocket happily.

"Sheesh, somebody needs to chill out." He had a very self-satisfied expression on his face as he slowly followed Elena to the elevators. She was in a hurry, anxious to keep Tseng from waiting. Already, the thought of being face-to-face with the Turk was intimidating and she didn't want to make it worse by taking a long time. However, Reno seemed to have the exact opposite idea and promptly pressed every single elevator button between their current floor and the one the Turks' offices were located on.

"Reno!" Elena looked at the lit up board in alarm. It wasn't many floors, but every added second made her more nervous.

"Huh?" He looked at her with mock surprise and innocence. "Loosen up, 'Laney." He smirked, nudging her gently with his elbow. He kept looking at her and an unidentifiable expression slowly appeared on his face.

"What?" She was squeezing her hands together pensively.

"You're so damn cute when you're nervous." He laughed lightly, pulling her to him and kissing her sweetly with smiling lips. The elevator finally arrived at their floor and Daniel, Myka, and Talan all looked up curiously from where they stood in front of Tseng's closed-office door.

"He won't let us in!" Daniel looked completely baffled. "He just walked in there, starting shouting and slammed the door before we could see what was going on." Reno's continued smirk and lack of a confused look clued them in.

"You did this, didn't you?" Myka accused, pointing to the closed door. "What did you do?"

"Nothin', I have no idea what you're talkin' about." Reno grinned, not even trying to make his lie believable. "I got this, guys." He stopped and took a dramatic pause in front of Tseng's door before opening it unceremoniously and leaning in the doorway. "So how'd it go, boss?"

"What is this, Reno?" Tseng was bent over his desk, rubbing his forehead with one hand, eyes squeezed shut in frustration as he held a magazine aloft. The cover was plastered with ripply-muscled men, mostly naked and skin gleaming.

"I dunno, boss, I'm not into that kinda stuff." Reno replied instantly. The other Turks had moved closer in behind Reno and Daniel promptly burst into hysterical laughter, collapsing on the floor in a matter of seconds clutching his abdomen. Myka smiled, chuckling and shaking her head as she ruffled Reno's already messy hair. Even Talan's eyes widened in surprise and the corner of his mouth twitched up slightly, although he quickly lost interest and wandered off. Elena glanced back and forth between them all nervously. It didn't look like anyone would be shot in a fit of rage, although Tseng did seem pretty angry.

"This is…repulsive." Tseng dropped the magazine into the trashcan next to his desk and delicately picked the other few off his desk. They met the same fate as the first before Tseng fixed his steely gaze first on Daniel, still on the floor, incapacitated by laughter, then bringing it up to Reno who smirked back, a devilish sparkle in his eyes. "You realize the President was in here with these, don't you?" Tseng brandished the monogramed stationary the President had left with his note on it.

"Yeah, I was the one who suggested he leave the note." Reno confirmed. Tseng was rendered speechless with this new information. Daniel drew everyone's attention for a moment as he pointed to Tseng, gasped out a few unintelligible words and continued laughing.

"Why do you do these things?" Tseng shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"No reason." Reno shrugged with a carefully casual attitude, examining the back of his hand. "Maybe it's because I don't have anything productive to fill my time, like, oh, I dunno, tracking down and serving up justice to a bunch of crazies that are stealin' stuff from Shinra and spent a few days torturin' me and shit. But yeah, for some reason I'm not allowed to do my job as a Turk and so I have to resort to other methods to keep busy." Reno raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Tseng. Elena almost held her breath, wondering how Tseng would react to this bold move.

"That's what this is about…" Tseng muttered, more to himself than anyone else. Daniel seemed to have regained control and allowed Myka to pull him off the floor. There was an awkward moment of silence before Tseng cracked. "Fine, Reno, fine! I was just trying to look out for you, but if that's what you want, be my guest! There isn't much of an investigation left for you to be a part of though."

"Wait, what?" The warning surprised Reno, and he frowned slightly, giving Tseng his full and honest attention now. Myka and Daniel were more serious now as well, while Tseng explained.

"We all split up and went to separate locations. None of us found anything except Daniel." Tseng looked over to the brown-haired Turk.

"It was messed up, man." Daniel shook his head, serious but not disturbed. They were Turks. It was hard to shock them. "I pretty much just waltzed in, no one stopped me. I found out soon enough that's because they were all dead! In the halls, in rooms, everywhere. Looked like they'd just been chopped down where they were standing."

"They'd been killed recently." Tseng continued the grisly tale. "_Very_ recently. It didn't look like the work of a gang, couldn't even have been more than a few persons. All were killed with either a gun or some kind of blade." Reno blinked. He didn't know how to react. In a way, he was relieved. He'd be lying to say he hadn't more than once entertained dramatic revenge fantasies however. On a less personal note, it was downright confusing. Who was responsible for the mass murder? And why?

"I need to see 'em." Reno stated after a moment, earning a confused frown from Tseng. "I told you I recognized the voice. I need to figure out who it was." Understanding crossed the man's face.

"Yes, I'm sure it would shed light on the situation if we could identify that individual." Tseng nodded. "We dispatched a clean-up crew to the site and there will be information on the identity of each body within a few hours, assuming they can identify them. I'll be sure to get headshots sent to my office for you to review."

"This really throws us off." Myka commented. "We were all set to devote our time to tracking them down and blowing this investigation wide open. But now they're all dead."

"Well, that works too, doesn't it?" Elena piped up, interjecting before her brain had time to stop itself. "I mean, what are they going to do now? They're dead." She blushed as everyone's eyes fixed on her, appearing mildly surprised.

"Technically, yes, I suppose." Tseng replied after a moment's silence. "But all useable information was disposed of this time. We still have only a sketchy idea of who they were and what they were really trying to do in a big picture sense. It's more like a dead-end than an actual completed investigation. Ending like this, it only raises more questions. Obviously, _we_ didn't kill them. So who else had something against them?" Nothing but mystified expressions covered all their faces.

"So…I guess we're giving up on this one for now?" Daniel queried.

"Well, there's really nothing else we can do unless something comes up. Besides, now that there is no more imminent threat, we should focus on finding the mole within Shinra. This is our biggest priority and I'll be assigning you all with missions related to this later. Except you, Reno. You're commanded to rest for a few days at least." Tseng also seemed to be a little thrown off by the sudden kink in their plans.

"What did the President want?" Reno suddenly asked, losing interest in what Tseng was saying.

"Oh, yes. He's attending the symphony later in the week. It's some kind of charity event that he must appear at and we are required to act as his bodyguards for the night. Nothing spectacular, just standard security detail. Reno, if you're feeling up to it, you can join us on this one." Reno nodded. "For now, why don't you call it a day and go home?" Tseng was looking at Reno closely, a tiny concerned frown on his face.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan." Reno agreed, obviously tired. He hadn't done much that day, but it was enough for his recovering body. A grin appeared on his face. "Besides, 'Laney's got her first day of school tomorrow! She's got to get to bed early." He poked her in the ribs playfully, a teasing tone in his voice.

"Stop it." She mumbled, smacking his hand away and trying not to smile. "It's not that big of a deal. I've been to school my whole life."

"Do ya think there'll be a lot of cute boys?" Reno wouldn't relent as he plastered his face with the most ecstatic, obnoxious-girl face he could manage, clasping his hands hopefully.

"Better watch out, Reno, she might realize that not all guys her age make you want to shoot yourself in the foot." Tseng commented, a wry smirk on his face.

"I can imagine it now…" Daniel grinned, trying not to laugh. "Some poor, love-stricken boy comes knocking at the door, intent on baring his soul and expressing his adoration for his blonde goddess and gets Reno instead." The implications of this scenario almost had Daniel rolling on the floor in laughter again. Elena blushed, feeling a bit awkward as she scratched the back of her leg with her foot.

"Elena _is_ very pretty, Reno." Tseng was not above a little teasing of his own. "It may sound crazy, but I wouldn't be surprised!" Reno was not used to being on the other end of the teasing. He wasn't sure how to react and honestly, he hadn't thought about this possibility before. He didn't like it.

"Oh, shut up. You're all stupid." Myka smacked Daniel on the back of the head and cast Tseng an angry scowl that poorly hid her amusement. "Ignore them." She turned to Reno and Elena, ushering them out of the office and away from Tseng and Daniel. "They don't know what they're talking about."

_Author's Note: Ok, so I remembered one thing I wanted to say. I have a bit that I want to write and include in here, but I'm not sure if it will work out. I think you'd all like it, but I don't want to mess up the flow of the story or anything. I don't want to give anything away if I do put it in though (it's not a major plot point AT ALL - don't worry) but I still want to hear the opinions of the readers! So, if you'd like to help out, and don't mind hearing the basics of a bit that would possibly happen and is not related to the plot, just let me know in the review and I'll let you in on it! =) I need some advice here! Thanks so much all of you, and I'm looking forward to getting your reviews (whether you want to discuss this scene or not!)! Much love, as always! xD_


	22. Chapter 22

_Author's Note: *sweat drop* Please don't kill me? I'm sorry, ok? I know it's been a long time and I feel bad! I was on vacation, got addicted to a TV show while I was gone, spent all my spare time watching said TV show when I got back, started fall classes, and had some family drama to deal with. I had most of this written for a long time, I just needed to get to a stopping point. Might not be a terribly exciting chapter, but we're transitioning from one big arc of stuff to another, so it's always a little bit boring. FORGIVE ME. At least it's not short? =P Things will get going again soon and then I'll actually be motivated to write. Again, I apologize for taking so long!_

Reno sighed, making sure it was long and drawn out. It was more fulfilling that way. He glanced at his phone, checking the time yet again. Putting an arm under his head, he laid on his back on the couch, staring at the ceiling, the other arm slung lazily over his stomach. He was bored.

"What does she do all day?" Reno muttered to himself, wondering how Elena managed to stay sane by herself at home while he was at work. Looking at his phone again, Reno groaned. Only a minute had passed. Elena had been at school for several hours. She'd gotten him out of bed before she left, bursting into his room much earlier than he would have liked, practically dragging him into the kitchen to make him eat breakfast and make sure he took his pain medication, all in a whirl that moved way too fast for that time of day, in Reno's opinion. He'd been too groggy to say or do much, but he had noted how nervously excited she'd been. A small smile touched his lips at the memory.

It was early afternoon now and he didn't feel like watching another movie. His stomach grumbled, surprising him. He hadn't really had much of an appetite lately, but apparently that was changing. Slipping his long legs off the couch, Reno stood gingerly, a hand hovering protectively over the knife wound on his abdomen.

"Why ya gotta be so damn useful?" Reno was talking to himself again, scolding abdominal muscles in general for being involved in almost every movement of the human body. He could barely move without experiencing at least a little discomfort. Luckily, with pain meds and a considerable amount of care, it was mostly just annoying and not as painful. Wandering into the kitchen, Reno rubbed his hands together productively, glancing around the room with a gleam in his eye. "Lunch. Gonna make lunch. Yup."

He stood there aimlessly for an awkward moment, realizing that he had no idea even what kinds of food were actually in the apartment. Elena did the grocery shopping.

"I guess that's what she does with _all_ this time!" Deciding to start with the fridge, Reno walked over with purpose and opened the door. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and then smiled, laughing quietly. Dead center sat a plate with a sandwich on it. A note sat on top. _'You're helpless.'_ A little heart signed the teasing message. Leaving the note carefully on the counter, Reno happily took the sandwich back to the couch, deciding another movie couldn't be that bad.

When she got home that afternoon, Elena found Reno sound asleep on the couch, some movie that so far seemed entirely composed of explosions, gunfire, and high-speed chases, playing in the background. She smiled, quietly setting her heavy backpack down and instinctively tip-toeing over, even though the sounds coming from the TV were much louder than she was. Leaning her elbows on the back of the couch, she looked down on him as his chest rose and fell slowly and steadily. Locked in internal battle, Elena struggled between the desire to wake him up and tell him about her day and the desire to let him sleep. He hadn't had a panic attack since in the conference room yesterday, but she was still hesitant to touch him. Startling him out of sleep seemed exactly like the kind of thing that might trigger one. Deciding this made the choice for her, Elena was about to walk away reluctantly when he stirred, blinking his aquamarine eyes open with a yawn.

"You're back." He stated, pleasantly surprised. Sitting up, he patted the couch next to him. "Come sit and tell me absolutely _everything._"

"I think I'm really going to like it! It's way better than my old school." Elena got through hardly a minute of excited chatter about the school before Reno interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, but what about the _boys_?" His teasing grin matched the tone in his voice, but Elena detected something else in his eyes, a serious gleam that made her smirk.

"Oh, so that's what's going on." She crossed her arms smugly, deciding it was her turn to tease him. "You're _jealous_. Well, there actually was one guy…" She laughed on the inside at the alarmed look on the redhead's face. "I met him in the hall…"

_Elena carefully stacked some books in her new locker, appreciating the shiny, new feel it had, like everything else at the school. There was none of the general overall dinginess she was used to from her previous high school. Gently closing the door, she jumped slightly and almost cried out in surprise. Standing right next to her, previously hidden by the locker door, was a tall boy, dressed pristinely in white skinny jeans, a white button-up, and a light grey vest that looked like it belonged with a suit, not casual attire. Shiny black boots decorated with an unnecessary amount of silver buckles and a loosely tied black silk tie completed his outfit. Neatly styled blonde hair stayed out of his face, probably with the help of hair gel from the looks of things, leaving piercing blue eyes fully visible. He leaned with careful elegance against the wall of lockers, arms crossed over his chest as he smiled almost smugly, blue eyes watching her with slightly aloof amusement._

_Elena knew she was staring and blinked awkwardly, eyes flickering away, wishing he would say something to break the uncomfortable silence. She certainly had no idea what to say. She noticed with surprise that a considerably sized flock of adoring girls stood about five feet away, literally sparkling eyes fixed on the blonde boy. Her gaze was pulled back to said boy as he spoke, his voice quiet but somehow commanding at the same time._

_"You're the new girl, I presume?" He flashed a brilliant smile at her, almost completely masking the conceited undertones. "It's Rufus. Rufus Shinra."_

_"I'm Elena." She answered almost automatically, fascinated by the practically visible cloud of pure charm that surrounded him like an all-encompassing halo. He was already talking again before her mind caught up. _Wait, "Shinra"? _Her eyes went wide as she realized what this meant._

_"It's an honor and a pleasure to meet you, Elena." Rufus took her hand, meeting absolutely no resistance from the shocked girl, and raised it halfway, bowing gracefully to kiss her fingers lightly, holding her hand a second longer before allowing it to fall back to her side limply._

_"May I escort you to your next class?" He asked politely, an ever-present smirk gently pulling at the corner of his mouth. He didn't appear disturbed in the slightest that Elena hadn't managed to do more than stammer her name and stare, rather, it seemed like this was expected. Elena nodded dumbly, allowing herself to be led away down the hall amidst the envious glares of several dozen girls._

Elena finished her story, a self-satisfied, triumphant smile on her face. Reno gaped in silence for a moment more, a mixture of surprise, anger, and jealousy flashing through his eyes.

"What?" He finally managed. "Who does that bastard think he is? Just wait! I'll teach him a lesson, yo."

"He's the President's son, that's who he is!" Elena declared. "And you will certainly not be teaching him any lessons. He's just being nice! He said I could come to him if I ever had any questions or problems."

"But…but…" Reno whined, and the pitiful look on his face made Elena relent. As hilarious as it was to tease him, she couldn't help but feel mean now.

"Don't worry, baby, I'm still all yours!" She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I can see right through his prince-charming act. He just needs me to fall madly in love with him like all the other girls at that school to feed his ego. On the inside, he's simply an arrogant boy who knows how to act like a gentleman." After resisting for a moment, Reno had wrapped his arms around Elena too, letting his chin rest on her shoulder, her hair tickling his nose. "And if he thinks his little fan club is going to gain another member that easily, well, he's in for a surprise! He doesn't know what I've got waiting at home." She felt Reno give a short, sarcastic laugh, the huff of air blowing across her neck.

"Your hair smells like fruit." Reno replied, apparently through talking about Rufus.

"And how was your day?" Elena smiled, softly rubbing his back. The redhead didn't seem anywhere near letting go of her, but she was ok with that. A muffled, but still loud, groan answered her.

"Boring. I watched movies and slept. Thanks for the sandwich, by the way. Seriously, what do you _do _all day?"

"Oh, I clean things and I cook dinner for you and just sort of… I don't know, chill out. Read books and stuff. It can get pretty lonely. I'm actually grateful to be going to school again. It'll give me something to do during the day while you're gone."

"I wish Tseng would let me go back to work." Reno complained. "I don't wanna actually work, but at least there's people to annoy there!"

"And that's precisely why Tseng is going to make you stay at home until you're better enough to actually work." Elena smiled. "Are you going to let me go at some point? I'm going to have to make dinner eventually if you want to eat." Reno seemed to consider this long and hard.

"Fine." He loosened his arms but tightened them again immediately when she started to move. "But only if you make jello too!" Laughing, Elena agreed and he allowed her to escape. Cupping his face in her hands, Elena did her best to keep a straight face, but merriment still sparkled in her brown eyes.

"You have a real problem, Reno. You should get help for your addiction."

"Never!" He protested loudly. "Besides, I don't see anyone hostin' 'Jello Lover's Anonymous'."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Reno!" Tseng pinched the bridge of his nose and faced the wall, letting his forehead bang against it a few times. The redhead had been back to work all of one day, after a week off, and Tseng was already losing it.

"You called?" Reno appeared almost instantly in the hallway outside the man's office, a perfectly angelic look on his face that, to anyone who knew him, was more disturbing than the most devious smirk he could manage.

"I'm assuming you're responsible for this?" Tseng gestured helplessly inside his office. The desk, the chairs, and the shelves were all completely covered in countless origami creations. A few birds even sat happily in the potted plant in the corner. "And I'm assuming they are my paperwork?" Tseng cast his defeated gaze on the stack of empty folders tossed carelessly on the floor.

"Do you remember yesterday when I wrote your phone number and 'call for a good time' on all the bathroom stalls in the buildin'?" Reno asked casually, observing the literally hundreds of little bits of folded paper with a small smile.

"Yes." Tseng's eyebrow twitched.

"How many phone calls did ya get, by the way?"

"Twenty-seven. From Scarlett. Fifteen from others." Tseng banged his head on the wall once more, for good measure.

"Did you take any of 'em up on it?"

"No! Of course not, you idiot! Get to the point!"

"Ah, yes." Reno smirked, as if remembering what the conversation was really about. "Ya remember how ya told me I should find a hobby to take up my spare time so I wouldn't have to resort to such 'childish antics'?"

"Yes, yes, I remember."

"I did." A look of horrified understanding passed over Tseng's face at Reno's simple statement. "Yup." Reno continued. "I took up origami yesterday and decided to leave this present for you today…so you can see that I took your advice for once." He appeared very self-satisfied as he surveyed his work. "You were right. It kept me entertained for quite some time."

"Just…go to your office." Tseng sighed, picking up a paper swan.

"But it's borin' there!" Reno protested.

"I don't care, just go and stay in your chair!" Tseng commanded.

"Fine. I suppose I'm bein' grounded?"

"In a word, yes." As Reno shuffled off, grumbling under his breath, Tseng let the swan flutter back down to the desk gently. He probably shouldn't have let Reno off that easily, but he was still feeling lenient towards the redhead in the wake of his recent ordeal. He'd let Reno come back to work but he still wasn't well enough to actually go on any missions. Honestly, Tseng had let him back simply to get a fresh perspective on the investigation into Shinra's mole. Daniel, Myka, and Talan had been out most of the time all week, hanging around the Don's place and trying to get information without appearing too obvious. They didn't want word getting back to the mole and alerting him or her. Without the use of more direct methods, information gathering wasn't going so well. What scarce tidbits they had collected hadn't proved to be of much use. None of them could get anything tangible from the snatches of conversations overheard.

"Hey, boss man?" Reno's voice interrupted his thoughts and Tseng tried not to twitch.

"I thought I told you to...stay in your chair." Tseng's sentence ended quietly, although it had begun with booming authority, as he turned towards the door. Reno blinked up at him innocently from where he sat happily in his desk chair outside Tseng's door.

"What do you need, Reno?" Tseng felt exhausted and it was only 11 AM. Why was it that his job felt more like parenting than anything else?

"I was gonna ask when that thingy where we guard the President was."

"The charity fundraiser at the symphony is tonight. Which reminds me." A devious gleam of his own appeared in Tseng's dark eyes and he felt a renewed energy flow through him. "Since the event is a formal one, we'll be dressed formally." Reno looked apprehensive.

"Uh, so our regular uniforms, right? It's formal…" He looked down at the disheveled suit he wore messily.

"No." Tseng shook his head gleefully. "Did we neglect to obtain a formal uniform for you when you started? How unfortunate! We'll get that fixed right away." Tseng exited his office briskly, grabbing Reno's upper arm firmly, keeping him from escaping, and almost dragging the redhead towards the elevators.

"Ow! My shoulder, Tseng!" Reno whined dramatically, gesturing with his free hand to the recently dislocated joint. Although he was fairly certain Reno was faking it, Tseng switched to the other arm as he got them both in the elevator.

"Since you have nothing else to do, you get to spend the day with the tailor!" Tseng announced, maneuvering Reno out of the elevator on one of the lower floors.

"You are cruel." Reno glared at Tseng, but didn't put up a fight.

"You're over-reacting." Tseng smirked. "I could be leaving you with Hojo for the day."

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"Stop fidgeting, Reno." Tseng reprimanded quietly, but sharply.

"Maybe I could if this suit wasn't so damned uncomfortable." Reno whispered back tersely, tugging at the collar on his brand new suit which was much more formal than the uniform they typically wore. Of particular horror to Reno were the bowtie and waistcoat. Daniel grinned at the exchange, but kept quiet. The Turks were walking directly behind the President, moving at a quick pace from the vehicle to the fancy orchestra hall. Once they were inside the building, Tseng seemed to relax a little but still stuck like glue right behind the President as the man mingled with other guests, engaging in meaningless small talk. The others fanned out quickly, moving to their assigned locations while keeping ever-watchful eyes on the crowd.

"Myka." Tseng's calm but warning voice spoke right into their ears, coming through the tiny, hardly noticeable headsets they all were equipped with. The woman was glaring at a man, one of the guests who had approached her and whose focus was clearly more on the little black dress she was wearing then the extremely disinterested look she was aiming his way. Daniel appeared out of nowhere at her side, just in time to take her arm firmly, stopping her as she reached for the thigh-holster hidden under the sleek black fabric.

"Don't blame him. How could he resist hitting on you? You're gorgeous." Daniel's amused voice could be heard trying to cool Myka's fiery temper.

"Yeah, lookin' good, Myka." Reno chimed in, smirking. She'd been complaining almost as much as he had since putting the dress on. Apparently she didn't feel it was appropriate combat attire.

"You keep your mouth shut!" Myka snapped back, glaring at the redhead from across the room.

"Will you all behave?" Tseng hissed. "Don't make me take your earpieces away."

"Then we wouldn't be able to communicate if something happened." Myka beat Reno to making some kind of rebellious comeback. "And I would probably get killed because _heels_ and a _dress_ do not facilitate fighting!"

"For the last time, nothing's going to happen!" Tseng cleared his throat and straightened his already perfect bowtie as the President cast a glance over his shoulder at the man.

"Keep your voice down, Tseng." Reno couldn't resist teasing, knowing Tseng wouldn't say anything else now that he had the President's attention. The comment did earn him a hard glare and he smiled happily back. Everyone's earpieces were silent for a while, until the crowd began shifting from the lobby into the actual performance hall.

"I'll stay with the President as planned." Tseng's voice returned. "Talan and Myka, I want you both inside the room. Stay towards the back, near the doors. Keep an eye on the crowd. Reno and Daniel, stay in the lobby. Frankly, I can't risk allowing in the same room as the President and other important guests. Who knows want kind of a scene you'd cause? With that in mind, _please_behave yourselves out there with no supervision."

"Relax, Tseng." They could all hear the easy smile in Daniel's good-natured voice. "We may be trouble-makers but we know when to get serious and do our jobs."

"Yeah, and gettin' the job done and havin' a stick up your ass are two completely different things." Reno commented. "It wouldn't kill ya to chill out every now and then, Tseng."

"When you're a Turk, 'chilling out' at the wrong time _can_ get you killed." Tseng returned, obviously not amused with Daniel and Reno's logic. "Now shut up." By now the doors were closing in readiness for the performance, leaving Daniel, Reno, and a few employees out in the lobby. Tseng probably couldn't even hear the two Turks chuckling under their breath.

They wandered idly around the spacious and opulent lobby, alert but calm. Floating snatches of discordant music made it to the lobby, only slightly muffled, as the orchestra tuned their instruments one last time. The employees of the orchestra hall clearly knew who they were and avoided them as if being within ten feet of them caused instantaneous death. Reno entertained himself by purposefully stepping into their paths as they hurried about the room, setting up for the reception that was to follow.

"Keeping yourself amused?" Daniel's quiet voice hummed in Reno's ear and the redhead glanced over his shoulder at the other Turk across the room with a smirk.

"Yup." He tried to avoid laughing out loud as another one of the poor employees cast him a confused and fearful glance as Reno suddenly swerved, bringing him right next to the unsuspecting man.

"Try not to give anyone a heart attack." Daniel cautioned, watching from the opposite wall with a smile.

"Ha! Can't help it. These guys are jumpy." Reno smirked, shaking his head as the employee paled, turning white as a ghost when Reno reached into his jacket to pull out his cell phone. Apparently expecting a gun, the man nearly fainted from relief and scurried off.

"Aw, now you're just being mean, Reno."

"Like I said, not my fault." He chuckled, checking the phone to see if Elena had texted him. "But fine, I'll leave 'em alone." His interest in tormenting the employees had passed quickly anyway and now the symphony had started up, drawing his fleeting attention to its loud, coordinated, and beautiful storm of sound. Glancing around the room with a resigned sigh, ready to be bored for a few hours, Reno rubbed his abdomen, where his new scar from the knife wound lay hidden beneath the formal suit. It was hurting again a little for some reason. He stared at a potted plant occupying a corner of the expansive room, trying to determine if it was real or not without touching it. Touching it to find out would be like admitting defeat. His shoulder throbbed suddenly and distracted Reno from the oh-so-important plant question. Frowning at the joint, he tried cautiously stretching it, hoping to alleviate the sudden pain.

"Uh, Daniel?" Reno was beginning to worry as he realized he also had a headache and his palms were sweating.

"Yeah?"

"I don't feel so good." Reno lurched slightly towards the wall, reaching a hand out to it for support and clutching his abdomen, hunching over as each and every one of his recent wounds clamored for his attention violently.

"You don't look so good either." Daniel muttered, a concerned frown on his face as he appeared just in time to keep Reno from collapsing forward into a heap on the floor. Lowering him gently against the wall, Daniel crouched in front of the redhead, taking in his paler than usual face that wore a pained expression. "Hey, Tseng! Listen up!" Daniel spoke loudly to get Tseng's attention, knowing the man would probably have been ignoring his and Reno's idle chatter earlier.

"What is it?" Tseng was all business.

"It's Reno. He was fine but now he's sick or something. It's freaking me out!" A cold sweat broke out on Reno's forehead and he shuddered involuntarily, perfectly in time with a crescendo.

"Dammit! It's happening again! This music…" Reno's eyes widened as realization hit him just as the music started to mutate into the all-too-familiar symphony of screams and roars. The world started to blur around the edges and it felt like the walls were closing in on him. Daniel seemed to hover over him menacingly, occasionally flickering into an unspeakably terrifying monster. Squeezing his eyes shut against the horrors, Reno buried his fingers in his hair, covering his face and clenching his jaw.

"Oh, shit." Daniel too now realized what was going on. "Tseng, it's that panic attack thing again!"

"Talan, stay with the President." Tseng's voice was giving orders immediately. "Myka, stay put. I'm coming now, Daniel."

"Hey, chill out, man." Daniel reached out and put a hand on Reno's arm, stopping the redhead who'd started trying to slip away. Reno trembled at the touch but didn't make a sound. Tseng arrived in seconds to find Reno rocking back and forth slightly, his face turned away.

"What happened?" Tseng questioned Daniel.

"He said something about the music… that as much as I know."

"Music?" Tseng echoed in confusion, then it dawned on him. "Daniel, when we found him there was classical music playing."

"We gotta get him out of here." Daniel shook his head, listening to the seemingly innocent sounds of the symphony radiating from the other room.

"Come on, Reno." Tseng took Reno's arm and pulled him to his feet. "You'll feel better outside, I promise." Between the two of them, they managed to force an extremely distraught Reno outside, away from the negative influences of the music. As soon as he was released from their firm grasps, Reno recoiled, looking at them with a mixture of fear and pain with no recognition in his brilliant aquamarine eyes. His back to the brick wall of the building, Reno, breathing heavily, looked up at the dark sky, a few stars blinking faintly in the deep blue expanse.

"Tseng?" Talan's voice broke into their silence. "The President is asking about what happened."

"I'll be back in there soon." Tseng sighed. "Just tell him one of us was suddenly ill."

"Is Reno ok?" Myka interrupted.

"I think he will be." Tseng answered. "Daniel, can you take him home once he calms down a bit more?"

"Yeah, no problem." They both observed the redhead a moment longer. He was definitely relaxing quickly, now that the music was gone.

"Ok, I've got to go back in there. Keep me updated."

It was another minute before Reno blinked and rubbed his eyes, hesitatingly bringing his gaze down from the sky to glance around him.

"It's…over?" He said cautiously. Daniel nodded. "Damn. Sorry. It just…brought back memories." Reno took a deep breath and let it out slowly, unable to keep it from being shaky.

"As long as you're ok, it's all good. And hey, I'm not upset. I get to bring you home now so if I take my time, I might get out of this whole thing." Daniel grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

"Happy to help." Reno replied, although the smile on his face was forced and his tone lacked most of its usual enthusiasm.

**!#$%^&*&^%$#!**

"You're home early." Elena looked up from the couch where she sat, her homework spread out around her. Her look of surprise changed to worry when she saw Daniel enter the apartment behind Reno. "What happened?" She got to her feet anxiously, glancing back and forth between the two of them searchingly.

"I'll get out of your way. Tseng will be wanting me back." Daniel nodded towards the door. "I'll let you explain. See ya around, Elena." He waved and left as suddenly as he'd come. Elena turned her questioning gaze to Reno. She could tell something was wrong.

"Well…" Reno tugged at his tie awkwardly. "I had another one of those panic attacks."

"What? Why? I thought they were going to go away after the first few days." Elena closed the distance between them quickly, a small frown on her face as she looked up into his eyes, a hand laid gently on his arm.

"Ha, me too." Reno kissed the top of her head. "It was the music that triggered it, I think. It was one that played...then."

"What are the odds?" Elena murmured, hugging him tightly.

"Not in my favor, apparently." He smirked. "Anyway, I get the rest of the night off so that's good."

"Yes, it is." Elena backed away and clasped her hands behind her back, looking like someone with a delicious secret. "I have something to tell you."

"What?" Reno instantly lost interest in attempting to extricate himself from his tie. Raising an eyebrow suspiciously, he fixed his curious gaze on her. Elena scratched the back of her leg with her foot like she did when she was nervous.

"Well, ask you, really."

"What is it? Will I like it?" He pushed for more information when she didn't continue.

"I _hope_ you'll like it!" She said back on the couch pushing her hair behind her ears, clearly enjoying holding information over his head.

"Well?" Reno pushed her homework out of the way and plopped down on the couch next to her, poking her arm gently.

"There's a dance at school and I want to go!" Elena blurted out suddenly. Reno noted with amusement that she was blushing and not making eye contact.

"Alright, I give you permission to go." Reno didn't miss a beat, even though he was a little surprised. He grinned at the irritated look she cast him.

"With you, stupid!" She smacked his arm playfully, still blushing.

"Ooohh, you want _me_ to go with you?" He exaggerated the surprised look and tone.

"What else?"

"I dunno. I thought maybe someone had asked ya and ya wanted permission to go." Reno smirked. She rolled her eyes, but smiled smugly.

"Someone did ask me."

"Really?" Reno's interest level shot through the roof. "Who?"

"Rufus."

"Rufus Shinra?"

"Yup." Elena crossed her arms, looking somehow pleased with herself for incurring the invite. "I told him I was going with someone else, so you have to come now."

"You turned down Rufus Shinra and asked me instead?" Reno couldn't stop the grin that plastered itself all over his face.

"Well obviously. He doesn't have this hair." Elena joked, smoothing the messy red ponytail that hung over his shoulder. "So you'll go?"

"I'll think about it."

"Reno!"

"Relax, I'm just teasin' ya." Reno grinned, leaning over suddenly to kiss her. "Of course I'll go."

_Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading and REVIEWING. xD Much love._


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